FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 25, 2026

First INCAP apprentices start working at employers throughout the state

New pathway prepares students for in-demand jobs

The first high school students participating in the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP) are beginning their apprenticeships as schools across the state start the new academic year. Fifty sophomores and juniors will be INCAP apprentices at 25 employer locations across 15 communities statewide. (See list below of participating employers and schools).

INCAP is a new education and training pathway that prepares Hoosiers for in-demand careers and helps Indiana businesses find and train employees. INCAP is for high school and adult students, with adult career training programs starting later this fall.
Participating high schoolers split their time between the workplace and the classroom, spending multiple full days a week on the job to help ensure they gain in-demand skills while also making meaningful contributions to their employers. The students are paid by their employers and work year-round.

This year, the 50 high schoolers participating in INCAP are enrolled in one of six Apprenticeship Programs:

• In Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics, four students are participating in the Polymechanic Apprenticeship Program.
• In Banking/Financial Services, 25 students are participating in the Retail Banking Apprenticeship Program.
• In Healthcare, 16 students are participating in the Healthcare Assistant Apprenticeship Program.
• In Tech/IT, three students are participating in the IT Project Coordinator Apprenticeship Program, one is in the IT Support Technician Apprenticeship Program, and one is in the Software Development Associate Apprenticeship Program.

“Thousands of in-demand jobs across Indiana are waiting to be filled, and INCAP is a game-changing way to help students prepare for those opportunities,” said David Becker, CEMETS iLab Indiana co-chair and chairman and CEO of First Internet Bank, which hired three INCAP apprentices this school year. “With more than 100,000 new jobs expected in Indiana by 2033, we cannot afford to leave talent on the sidelines. Programs like INCAP connect students to meaningful careers while giving employers access to the workforce they need for the future.”

“In addition, not enough Hoosiers get the education and training needed after high school to meet labor market needs. By 2031, 72% of U.S. jobs will require some form of education or training beyond high school, and Indiana is not on track to meet that workplace reality,” said Claire Fiddian-Green, president & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and co-chair of CEMETS iLab Indiana, the coalition of Hoosier leaders building INCAP.

INCAP increases options for Hoosiers
The new pathway’s combination of real-world skills training and classroom learning creates more opportunities for Hoosiers to prepare for their future career.

INCAP aligns with Indiana’s new high school diploma requirements, as the pathway provides a structure for students to earn at least 650 hours of work-based learning and a Credential of Value, which are requirements of the new Employment Honors Plus Seal. High schoolers will earn an INCAP credential or degree, while adults who complete an INCAP training program will earn an INCAP degree.

INCAP degrees and credentials are recognized as indicators of industry experience and hold value in the job market, so INCAP apprentices are prepared to enter the job market or pursue college. INCAP degrees and credentials will also count toward college credit in related degree programs across Indiana.

This recognition is enabled by the new Indiana Qualifications Framework, which aligns degrees and credentials earned in INCAP (and other work-based learning pathways) with academic programs and is overseen by the new Indiana Qualifications Advisory Panel (IQAP). After the IQAP coordinates an independent review process that includes industry experts and the Indiana Office of Education gives final approval, INCAP credentials are added to the state’s Credentials of Value list.

As a result, students can more easily transition between INCAP and the college pathway because the education and training they complete in the workplace is recognized for credit.

Looking ahead
Recruitment for the next cohort of INCAP apprentices will begin in January 2027. For the 2027-2028 school year, more than 15 apprenticeship occupations are expected to be available across eight industries with significant workforce needs: Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics, Banking/Financial Services, Construction, Healthcare, Hospitality, Insurance, Life Sciences, and Tech/IT.

Background
The Fairbanks Foundation is funding the creation and launch of INCAP, while CEMETS iLab Indiana — a coalition of more than 300 Hoosier leaders from various industries, K-12 schools, higher education, nonprofits, government, and philanthropic organizations — is leading the effort. Since 2016, the Fairbanks Foundation has awarded more than $25 million in grants to support youth apprenticeship pilot programming and the new education and training pathway now known as INCAP.

Modeled on a world-class system that has prepared Swiss youth and adults for careers since the 1970s, INCAP equips students and adults with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century workplace and provides employers in key industries with the workers they need to compete on a global scale. iLab leaders have set an ambitious goal for the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway: to provide education and training to 50,000 Hoosiers by 2034.

List of 2026-27 INCAP apprentices
The employers that have hired at least one INCAP apprentice by Aug. 19, 2026, are listed below.

About INCAP
INCAP is a new education and training pathway that prepares Hoosiers for in-demand careers and helps Indiana businesses find and train employees. INCAP offers programs for high school and adult students, with the first high school apprenticeships launching for the 2026-2027 school year, while career training programs for adults begin later this fall. INCAP participants split their time between the workplace and the classroom, spending multiple full days a week on the job to help ensure they gain in-demand skills while also making meaningful contributions to their employers. INCAP participants are paid by their employers and work year-round.

After completing an INCAP program, graduates can decide to enter the workforce or attend college. If they launch a career, they’re prepared to enter an in-demand field and have the option to continue industry-led education and training within INCAP. If they go to college, they may be able to complete a college degree in fewer years because INCAP degrees and credentials in related fields are recognized as college credit. For more information, visit IndianaCAP.org.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jen Schmits Thomas, JTPR, (317) 441-2487, [email protected]
Andrea Farmer, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, (317) 663-4198, [email protected]