CEMETS iLab Indiana is a coalition of more than 300 leaders from business, K-12 education, higher education, government, non-profits and philanthropy committed to addressing Indiana’s education and workforce challenges. The coalition’s members joined forces in 2023 to create a new way for Hoosiers to access professional education and training, now known as the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP). iLab Indiana is led and funded by the Fairbanks Foundation, which has awarded more than $25 million in grants for youth apprenticeship and INCAP since 2016.
The iLab seeks to ensure that by 2034, Indiana’s education-to-workforce system provides every student and adult learner with access to high-quality education and training options. This will enable all Hoosiers to discover their passions, reach their fullest potential, and meaningfully contribute to the economic and civic vitality of their communities. As a result, Indiana will become a Top 10 destination for employers seeking to expand existing businesses and entrepreneurs working to launch new businesses.
The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway (INCAP) is a new option to help Hoosiers prepare for promising careers. It provides new opportunities for students who want to learn through real-world, on- the-job experience, and for employers committed to developing talent in their industries to fill workforce needs.
INCAP offers two types of education and training programs:
Drawing on lessons from Switzerland’s successful Vocational and Professional Education and Training system, with guidance from experts at the Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems (CEMETS), the iLab set out to design a unique system to meet the needs of Indiana students and employers. INCAP differs from other education and training programs in the United States in several ways:
The role of employers: Through Industry Talent Associations – organizations charged with leading statewide employer engagement within their industry – employers help define the skills and knowledge students need to fill in-demand jobs. ITAs enable employers to speak with one voice about the talent needs in their industry. 
The collaboration between educators and employers: Educators play a vital role in INCAP by partnering with employers to develop the school-based curriculum that complements on-the-job training and by delivering classroom instruction. 
The pathway continues throughout adulthood: While INCAP AP programming begins in high school, INCAP CP programs are available for adults at every level of their career. 
The amount of time high school apprentices spend on site: INCAP apprenticeships follow a standardized schedule where at least 50% of a student’s time is spent with an employer, ensuring students gain in-demand skills and meaningfully contribute to business needs. 
The credentials and degrees are recognized by colleges and employers: Dual recognition means that students who earn an INCAP degree or credential can advance to a higher-level INCAP program or transition to the traditional college path by completing certain requirements. From the launch of the iLab in December 2023 to August 2024, iLab committees met and provided input on what would eventually become the iLab’s strategic plan. Released in September 2024, the strategic plan set the course for the implementation of INCAP.
In November 2025, the iLab released an update to its strategic plan, which outlines progress toward the four priorities it established in the strategic plan:
Establish Industry Talent Associations: With the support of funding from the Fairbanks Foundation, six ITAs are now active and are recruiting employers to help identify occupations and design relevant INCAP education and training programs: Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics, Banking, Construction, Healthcare, Information Technology (IT), and Life Sciences.
Establish mechanisms for progressing up and across pathways: To help inform the Indiana Secretary of Education’s plan for a statewide qualifications framework, iLab Indiana developed and shared a draft Indiana Qualifications Framework (IQF), along with a recommended process to recognize both INCAP and academic degree programs, along with other professional programs. Qualifications frameworks help compare qualifications earned across different education and training pathways by focusing on outcomes and competencies.
Design a labor market-aligned career advising system: Over the past year, iLab Indiana’s Career Advising Working Group identified critical gaps in Indiana’s career advising services and developed a draft framework to address them. The framework ensures that by the end of ninth grade, every Indiana student has a personalized plan to achieve the necessary education and training aligned with their career goals.
Define clear roles and responsibilities: To ensure the various stakeholders engaged in INCAP implementation are represented within INCAP governance, the iLab Governing Committee approved a two-level structure that includes representatives from three areas: state government, the private sector, and regional implementors. Both levels will be chaired and convened by the private sector.
Additionally, the update outlines existing work to build a regional infrastructure, engage students and employers, raise awareness of INCAP, navigate funding needs, and address ongoing considerations.
Industry Talent Associations are organizations charged with leading employer engagement and enabling employers to speak with one voice about the talent needs in their industry. With the support of grant funding from the Fairbanks Foundation, six Industry Talent Associations are active in the following sectors: advanced manufacturing and logistics, banking, construction, healthcare, information technology, and life sciences.
ITAs are now recruiting employees to help choose occupations and build the relevant education and training frameworks that will enable them to welcome their first INCAP apprentices, some as early as fall 2026.
If you or your employer is interested in joining an ITA and participating in INCAP, click the button below.
If your employer is in an industry not yet represented by an ITA and you want to get involved, contact the iLab.
Regional organizations known as INCAP Connectors act as bridges between ITAs and participating schools and students. They help schools recruit students for the INCAP Apprenticeship Program (INCAP AP), support student success, and provide other assistance as needed.
Across Indiana, organizations have been selected to serve as INCAP Connectors. With the help of $15,000 planning grants, the INCAP Connectors are in the process of creating implementation plans for their regions.
When their plans are finalized and approved in early 2026, each organization will receive an additional $85,000 in sub-grants from the Fairbanks Foundation’s grant to Ascend Indiana, INCAP’s lead implementation partner. At scale, the INCAP Connectors will support INCAP AP students in all 92 counties.
If you represent a school interested in participating in INCAP, follow the link below to find your regional INCAP Connector.
David Becker, Chairman & CEO of First Internet Bank and Co-Chair of CEMETS iLab Indiana
Claire Fiddian-Green, President & CEO of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and Co-Chair of CEMETS iLab Indiana
Because of the Fairbanks Foundation’s years-long investment in researching youth apprenticeship and building a new education and training system in Indiana, Fiddian-Green and other members of the Foundation’s staff are leading the initial phases of the plan’s implementation and overseeing the work of all iLab committees in close partnership with Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership.
The iLab, which is overseen by a Governing Committee, is structured around key stakeholder groups: industry, high school, higher education, and policy. Additionally, some iLab members participate in working groups focused on essential elements of INCAP, including career advising and a qualifications framework.
Note: Member roster current as of Nov. 20 2025.
If you represent an employer or high school looking to get involved with the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway, reach out at IndianaCAP.org.
Do you have questions about CEMETS iLab Indiana? Contact our team.
Below, you’ll find more information about CEMETS iLab Indiana and the path to building the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway.