Ascend Indiana

As the landscape of secondary education shifts toward practical mastery, understanding classroom and real-world application has never been more critical.

Join the Institute for Quality Education (IQE) and Ascend Indiana for an overview on the future of Indiana’s graduation requirements and how we incorporate Work-Based Learning (WBL)—from school-based enterprises to high-level apprenticeships.

To register, click the link here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BU8RZHU-QzaP1UMG4cGZjw

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Ascend team will be out of the office today to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We'll be back in the office on Tuesday, January 20.

Exciting news: the Untapped journey continues!

Explore our growing collection of Untapped talent resources, built to provide employers, educators, and partners with best practices for engaging overlooked and emerging talent across Marion County.

Watch videos from recent discussions, access practical tools, and even submit your own questions to help shape future Untapped content.

Start exploring: https://untapped.today/

Happy Holidays! The Ascend team will be out of the office today through January 1 to spend time with family and friends. We'll be back in the office on Friday, January 2.

Join us in welcoming our new Ascend team member, Mara Klaunig! 🎉

Mara joined the Ascend team as our Senior Director of Workforce Strategies in October. She most recently worked as Director of Workforce Analytics and Business Intelligence at the Department of Workforce Development. Mara has extensive experience in translating complex labor market and credential data into actionable workforce and education strategies.

Welcome to the Ascend team, Cat! 🎉

Cat joined the Ascend team as our Vice President of Development in October. She most recently worked as Vice Chancellor of Development for Ivy Tech Community College. In this role, Cat led the development operations department, which encompassed fundraising, donor and alumni relations, and grant funded programming.

Yesterday the Ascend team held its annual holiday event at GRT Hot Glass Studios to celebrate the team's accomplishments in 2025. We are excited to continue pursuing our vision for all Hoosiers and all employers to be equipped to thrive in Indiana's evolving economy in 2026.

Happy Thanksgiving! Our Ascend team will be out of the office today and tomorrow to spend time with friends and family. We'll be back in the office on Monday, December 1.

At their Greenwood manufacturing facility, Endress+Hauser has built a robust talent development program that engages students from elementary school through college. From Innovation Studio projects to job shadowing, internships, co-ops, and apprenticeships, they’re creating hands-on experiences that truly make a difference. Thank you to Nicole Otte for sharing this incredible work with the Ascend Indiana Workforce Council and for organizing a panel discussion with five high school students who discussed how these opportunities have shaped their education and career goals.

One student said it best:
“This experience showed me that there are a lot more doors than I could ever see.”

Happy Labor Day! Our Ascend team will be out of the office today to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers. We'll be back in the office on Tuesday, September 2.

We are excited to announce our newest hire at Ascend, Ebikiri, who has been hired as the Software Engineering Lead.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newest team member! 🎉