New State Hub Gives Grant County Employers a Clear Starting Point for Work-Based Learning
Many Grant County employers have considered hosting a high school student but were not sure where to begin. A new statewide resource is designed to answer that question. On Oct. 6, 2026, Gov. Mike Braun announced the Work-Based Learning Digital Resource Hub, a free collection of practical tools for schools, employers, and regional partners (Indiana Office of the Governor).
The hub was developed through a partnership between the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), and Ascend Indiana. Its purpose is to help schools and businesses build high-quality work-based learning experiences that align with Indiana’s new high school diploma.
Why This Matters Now
Indiana’s new diploma gives students more flexibility to personalize their path and earn readiness seals tied to their goals, whether that is college, a career, or military service. Those seals weigh a combination of rigorous coursework, credentials of value, and work-based learning (Indiana Office of the Governor).
The requirements also add structure. Schools must keep a training plan and partnership agreement on file for each student who participates in qualifying work-based learning. As schools put the new diploma into practice, employers who are prepared to host students will be valuable partners.
Gov. Braun said the hub “gives schools and employers the practical tools they need to bring career‑connected learning to life” (Indiana Office of the Governor).
What Employers Will Find in the Hub
Several of the hub’s resources are written with businesses in mind:
Employer Work-Based Learning Readiness Tool: a guided assessment that helps an organization determine which type of experience fits its capacity.
Understanding Types of Work-Based Learning Experiences: an overview of the 11 experience types defined by IDOE.
How to Design a Work-Based Learning Experience: a step-by-step guide for educators and partners.
Work-Based Learning Roles and Responsibilities Overview: a clear breakdown of what employers, schools, and intermediaries each contribute.
Training Plan and Partnership Agreement Template: a ready-to-use document that helps schools, employers, and students define the purpose of the experience, the competencies involved, and how progress will be supported. Schools may continue using their own format if they already have one that works.
Local Partners Serving Grant County
Ascend Indiana maintains an Intermediary Directory of regional organizations that connect schools and employers. Two intermediaries currently list Grant County in their service area (Ascend Indiana):
Northeast Indiana Workforce Board (NEINworks), which supports employers.
Region 8 Education Service Center of Northeast Indiana, which supports both employers and schools.
These organizations offer dedicated staff to coordinate and expand work-based learning in the region. The full directory is available at ascendindiana.com/intermediary-directory.
Continued Investment
The Commission recently awarded Ascend Indiana a $100,000 grant to support the hub’s rollout. The funding will expand the hub’s resources, support statewide convenings and peer learning, and provide direct technical assistance to regional partners (Indiana Office of the Governor).
How We Can Help
Work-based learning is one way Grant County employers can build relationships with future talent close to home. If your organization is weighing whether to host a student, the readiness tool is a good place to start. We are glad to help connect Grant County employers with the regional partners and resources that fit their goals.
To learn more, visit ascendindiana.com/work-based-learning or contact us at communications@grantcounty.com or 765-662-0650.
More Information
Ascend Indiana. “Work-Based Learning Intermediary Directory.” Ascend Indiana, ascendindiana.com/intermediary-directory. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
Indiana Office of the Governor. “Gov. Braun Strengthens Work-Based Learning Opportunities for Students through New Digital Resource Hub.” Press release, 6 Oct. 2026.