We all know the classic refrain from Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.” And while this year’s NCAA baseball tournament is peppered with Hoosier representation, I am not reciting that quote for baseball purposes. It turns out that this line is the embodiment of the work the Indiana General Assembly has done to position our state as a top destination for workers and families.
When looking at the workforce challenge facing Indiana, I like to break the solutions down into three buckets: How do we attract talent to our state? How do we retain that talent? How do we make sure that Indiana is a place where these workers want to raise their families and stay for the long haul? If you can enact measures that address these key points, then your state is going to lead the pack when it comes to economic growth and standard of living. I am happy to report that Indiana is checking all these boxes in spades.
The best way to attract workers to Indiana is with ample economic opportunity across an array of industries. For years, Indiana’s elected leaders have worked hard to implement pro-growth tax policies and deliver innovative economic development programs to spur business creation and private investment in our state. This last legislative session, the General Assembly built on these efforts by dedicating $150 million to the state’s Site Acquisition Fund, which helps unlock transformational projects, like Eli Lilly’s multibillion-dollar investment in Boone County.
Workforce development is also key to ensuring that Hoosiers are equipped with the tools they need to thrive in our state’s dynamic economy. Indiana is home to cutting-edge manufacturing companies that keep our nation moving. For example, U.S. Steel, which employs more than 4,300 hardworking men and women in Northwest Indiana, produces the American-made steel that supports our nation’s automotive, homebuilding and appliance industries. It is imperative that we have a talented pool of workers to propel these businesses and our state forward. My colleagues and I understand this challenge and that is why we passed a workforce development package that, among other things, established career scholarship accounts, which allow high school students to count valuable workforce training, such as apprenticeships, toward graduation requirements. We also secured crucial funding for the INvets program to help our veterans get the resources they need to build their careers.
While we have certainly had success in our efforts to attract and retain workers (Indiana welcomed more than 20,000 new residents last year), it is important that we take this one step further to make sure our state is a place where people want to raise their families for years to come. That means investing in our schools and making a down payment on Indiana’s next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. The General Assembly heeded this call by eliminating textbook fees at K-12 public schools and expanding school choice to provide greater options for parents when it comes to their children’s education.
It turns out that if you build a competitive business environment with significant workforce development resources, people will come. However, keeping those people in Indiana for the long term requires smart policy and sound investments. The General Assembly demonstrated during the last legislative session that we can deliver on both.
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State Rep. Julie Olthoff (R-Crown Point) represents House District 19,
which includes portions of Lake and Porter counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
