Before drafting its new Manufacturing Principles curriculum, Ivy Tech's Ivy+ CareerLink team did one thing first: asked employers what they actually needed.
That conversation brought more than a dozen Indianapolis-area manufacturing leaders to the table on May 20 for an Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Industry Workshop hosted by Ivy Tech Community College in partnership with the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) and Conexus Indiana.
The session served as both a listening exercise and a planning session, giving employers the opportunity to weigh in on Ivy Tech’s emerging Manufacturing Principles course series before broader implementation.
“We need to be responsive to industry needs,” said Matthew Impink, executive director of workforce training at Ivy Tech Indianapolis. “When employers tell us that they need something, we need to make sure we are creating the pathway for students to get these high-quality jobs in crucial industries like advanced manufacturing.”
Developed in partnership with Conexus Indiana, the Manufacturing Principles series includes two levels of training designed to meet different workforce needs. Level 1 focuses on entry-level workers seeking to enter advanced manufacturing, while Level 2 is intended to help existing employees upskill and grow within the field.
The curriculum embeds industry-recognized credentials, such as Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certifications, helping participants gain practical knowledge and workplace readiness from the start.
The initiative builds on growing momentum within Ivy Tech Indianapolis’ School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, and Applied Science (SAMEAS), which represented the largest number of graduates among the campus’ Class of 2026. As employer demand for manufacturing talent continues to rise, the new Manufacturing Principles series is designed to strengthen the pipeline between training and high-quality careers.
Demand for manufacturing talent continues to grow. At Ivy Tech Indianapolis, enrollment within SAMEAS has increased 139% over the last decade, growing from 1,514 students in 2015–16 to 3,617 in 2024–25.
While the curriculum itself is largely finalized, employers helped shape how Ivy Tech will actually deliver the training.
After an overview presentation, employers participated in facilitated small-group discussions to share feedback on course design, delivery preferences, and what makes workforce partnerships worthwhile from their perspective.
Some manufacturers favored intensive “boot camp” models, while others preferred training spread across several weeks so employees could immediately apply new skills on the production floor.
“That was kind of the bigger outcome from the day,” Impink said. “How do we meet them where they are?”
A major theme that emerged throughout the workshop was return on investment. Employers consistently pointed to employee retention and productivity gains as the most meaningful outcomes of workforce training.
Impink shared one example discussed during the session: an employer that recently hired 150 workers but retained fewer than half.
Manufacturing training, he said, can help reduce that costly turnover by preparing employees for workplace expectations before they enter or advance within the industry.
“One of the things we heard from employers was that retaining employees is incredibly important,” Impink said. “Making sure those entry-level workers have the skills they need to succeed in the workplace is a huge goal and a huge part of creating this curriculum in the first place.”
The workshop also included a tour of the Ivy Tech Manufacturing Innovation Training Center, based at the Emerging Manufacturing Collaboration Center (EMC2) at 16 Tech on the near-northwest side of downtown Indianapolis. The 4,700 square-foot space serves as a biopharmaceutical training center for Eli Lilly and Company and other companies working at the intersection of health, advanced manufacturing, and technology. The tour was led, in part, by Lilly representatives. For many employers, seeing the equipment and training space firsthand sparked new ideas for future collaboration.
“It’s pretty fun to see the excitement and the passion that people have for the work that they do and the incredibly important industry of advanced manufacturing here for our region and the state,” Impink said.
Ivy Tech Indianapolis plans to pilot the Manufacturing Principles training this fall, with long-term plans for broader statewide adoption across the College.
Interested in advanced manufacturing training or workforce partnership opportunities with Ivy Tech Indianapolis? Learn more about Ivy+ Career Link and workforce training programs designed to meet the needs of students, employers, and Indiana’s growing manufacturing sector.
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About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
