What Can Ready Indiana Do For You?

Ready Indiana is a free service to all Indiana employers.

Ready Indiana streamlines information making it easier for employers to identify their workforce training needs, choose quality training providers, and investigate employer training grants to help cut their training costs. Ready Indiana focuses on increasing awareness of basic or functional skills in the workplace including reading, writing, math, second language learning, team work, verbal and written communication, leadership skills, problem solving skills, and technical skills. 

   
   Ready Indiana offers:
 
o        Training locator service to summarize training information from multiple providers
o        Advice from experienced employers about training grants and training programs
o        Reports, studies and PowerPoint presentations about workplace literacy
o        Assistance in determining eligibility for and applying for state training grants
o        Employer workshops, conferences and news of interest in workforce development 
 
 
This week's featured article: 

America's Dynamic Workforce: 2008

By Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao 

America’s dynamic workforce provides a strong foundation for our nation’s continued long-term growth. In 2008, our country has faced significant challenges in the housing market, financial market volatility, and rising energy and food prices. These challenges have created anxiety for many workers. Yet, there are many strengths to see our country and our workforce through this period of economic uncertainty. America’s workforce is the most productive in the world, according to the United Nations’ International Labor Organization. And in recent years, labor productivity has grown at a faster rate than over the three prior decades. That is good news for workers because it lays the foundation for long-term economic growth and for a rising standard of living.

As our country deals with the current short-term challenges, we also must recognize the challenges that affect our long-term outlook. Our country is in the middle of a major economic transformation. Technology has accelerated the pace of change and our country is transitioning to a knowledge-based economy.

Good jobs are still being created. In fact, the majority of employment growth over the past six years has been in occupations with above-average compensation. Most of the new jobs projected for the future are expected to be filled by people with some post-secondary education. Over the next decade, new jobs will be created in high-growth industries including health care, nanotechnology, geospatial technology, and the life sciences. Education to gain the knowledge and skills that are in demand is key to future success in America’s dynamic labor market.

Workers who acquire and maintain competitive knowledge and skills are finding jobs with good compensation. The goal of the Department of Labor is to ensure that the workforce has access to the information, training, and resources that will help them acquire the skills they need to access the growing opportunities in our nation’s 21st century economy.

Despite the challenges that America has confronted over the past seven years, the fundamentals of the economy remains solid and resilient. This is a tribute to the dynamism, productivity, and flexibility of our nation’s workforce.