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State’s Adult Education Efforts Aid Individuals, Employers in Big Way

By Marilyn Pitzulo, DWD Associate Chief Workforce Strategy and Design

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the Indiana Association for Adult and Continuing Education recently honored Hoosier adult learners and Indiana employers at the 2023 Adult Education Day ceremony, held at the Indiana Statehouse.

“DWD is assisting individuals by continuously providing opportunities to increase their knowledge, skills and abilities through various programs and services our agency administers and our partners offer throughout Indiana,” said DWD Commissioner David J. Adams.

Through the numerous programs, adult education students earn credentials, receive postsecondary education, achieve sustainable employment and ultimately reach economic self-sufficiency. In Indiana, 70% of adult learners are employed after earning their high school equivalency (HSE; formerly GED) and experience an average wage increase of $8,400 annually. In 2022, 3,795 Hoosier adult learners earned their HSE.

Indiana remains a leader in providing adult education programming that transforms the lives of Hoosier job seekers and workers. Hoosiers learning new skills and completing their HSE or certification are upskilling to meet the needs of Indiana employers.

Each business taking part in the adult education continuum deserves praise for making an investment in its employees, as does every learner who is now earning higher wages and increasing their career opportunities.

There are more than 250 adult education class locations – in person or online – in the state that give students opportunities to increase skills, learn English, access training, obtain industry-recognized credentials and earn a higher-paying job.

“I was making around $11 an hour in a job I had for several years but I felt I was never going anywhere in my career,” said Brandy Gilstrap, a Greene County resident. “I enrolled in a 10-week certification program with an adult education provider and graduated last April. I finally feel freedom.”

Gilstrap now works as an emergency medical technician in Sullivan County.

During the ceremony, 16 business partners were recognized for offering adult education classes to their staff. Employers were honored for one or more of the following:

• Providing employees’ wages for attending adult education classes
• Supplying classroom space and computers or other technology to support students
• Providing other classroom materials and supplies
• Funding the cost to pay teachers and instructors
• Offering permanent employment to workers who successfully completed classes

“The partnership between the Indianapolis dormakaba manufacturing plant and Warren Township Adult Education has proven to be a great success,” said Ty Howard, a senior human resources manager at the dormakaba facility.

“This program has had a positive impact on communication and engagement within the workplace, leading to a sense of belonging among employees. It also increases worker competency, leading to potential growth opportunities within and outside the company.”

Kimberly Alsept-Gard, who is the manager of physician offices at Ascension St. Vincent Medical Group in Evansville, echoes the substantial benefit.

“We were dealing with (workers) shortages, and the adult education program at Vincennes University reached out to us and said they think they had a program that we may be interested in. (It) will help pay for these individuals to go back to school and become a certified medical assistant and it would benefit our bottom dollar to keep our offices open.

Alsept-Gard concludes, “I actually manage the float pool for those offices that needed those resources, and it was a no brainer. It was a win-win for everybody.”

The adult ed program can also bring about upward mobility for individuals.

Ruben Hernandez, human resources specialist at Indiana Packers Corporation in Delphi, explains.

“It has improved the morale in (our) workforce, and we are excited to provide people with better opportunities. With the program we initiated, we have been able to promote three or four individuals, and one to a frontline supervisory position.”

The state’s adult education programming is administered by DWD and has a presence in all 92 counties. Indiana is among the nation’s top states in multiple adult ed categories:

• No. 1 for student achievement and growth
• No. 2 for the number of high school equivalency diplomas awarded
• No. 4 for certificates earned through integrated education and training

DWD is here to help employers and individuals make these important connections in the workplace. If you have questions, please email AdultEd@dwd.IN.gov or call (866) 220-6675.