Partnering with MedCerts to offer certifications that can become Next Level Job Grant eligible, will open up a new educational pathway for your school, while providing more workforce ready applicants for the state’s most in-demand jobs.
For academic institutions across Indiana, educational opportunities need to align with the evolving job market. However, for many high-demand careers in the state, there’s a gap between the skills employers need and the skills that many job seekers possess. Healthcare and Information Technology (IT) in particular are two high-growth sectors in Indiana without enough qualified applicants. By offering targeted certification programs, schools can not only bridge this workforce skills gap but also enhance student outcomes and position themselves as leaders in workforce development. All at little or no cost to either qualified students or schools, thanks to the Next Level Jobs grant program.
What are Next Level Job Grants?
Next Level Jobs is a state initiative started in 2017 to offer reimbursements of up to $50,000 to train students in specific high-growth fields. Students eligible for this grant need to be Indiana residents, U.S. Citizens, and eligible for state financial aid. Applicants must have graduated high school but not have a college degree. Even if your educational institution doesn’t currently offer classes in high-growth fields such as Allied Healthcare and IT, your school can offer online certification training classes through MedCerts. This type of partnership allows you to offer online programs that can become eligible for funding and is a cost-efficient way to prepare Indiana students for the state’s most in-demand jobs.
Why Training Allied Healthcare Workers is So Critical
According to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, healthcare support jobs are expected to increase 14.79% by 2032. If you live in Indiana, chances are you are personally impacted by the lack of healthcare workers. 87% of rural patients and 65% of urban patients live in an area of Indiana with a healthcare worker shortage.
While the crisis includes a lack of doctors and nurses, 60% of healthcare roles are allied and auxiliary healthcare workers. There are 20K annual openings for Healthcare Support jobs in Indiana. With Baby Boomers living longer than previous generations and birth rates decreasing, the demand for these support workers is only going to increase over time. For instance, Home Health and Personal Care Aides are the roles with the most expected growth in Indiana by 2032, with +9,821 new net jobs projected. In the same time period, the state is projected to add 2,962 Medical Assistants and 1,986 Nursing Assistants. The healthcare worker crisis isn’t going to be solved without training the next generation for these positions.
Why Certification
Certification programs provide a streamlined path for students to gain the precise skills they need for these in-demand industries. Unlike traditional degree programs, certifications focus on the specific competencies employers are seeking. For example, in healthcare, certifications in medical billing, pharmacy tech, or patient care technician roles can give students a direct pathway to employment. In IT, certifications in network security, cloud computing or data analytics can open to high-paying careers. However, many academic institutions hesitate to offer these programs because of the costs and complexities involved in developing new curricula, hiring qualified faculty and creating a sustainable infrastructure.
This is where MedCerts can help.
The State Needs More IT Professionals
Working within the tech industry is one of the most effective ways for Hoosiers to improve their economic earning power. For every 10,000 tech-related jobs added to the workforce in Indiana, workers gain $698 million in wages, more than double the state’s median wage. However, while the volume of tech job postings in Indiana is accelerating, tech job hiring figures remain flat.
Less than 40% of Indiana bachelor-level graduates with computer and information sciences and support services degrees work in the state in the year after they graduate. The problem is they can make a good salary in Indiana and an even better salary elsewhere. According to a Skillsoft study, IT workers average $124,931 annually yet make only $113,155 in Indiana.
The solution is to create a pipeline of qualified applicants with Information Technology certifications, to offset the annual exodus of qualified applicants with bachelor’s degrees who leave the state after graduation. The demand for IT professionals in Indiana is red hot. By focusing on increasing the pool of applicants with relevant certifications, these job listings will finally be filled.
How MedCerts and the Next Level Jobs Grant Can Help
MedCerts is a national leader in providing online, industry-recognized certification programs. By partnering with MedCerts, Indiana academic institutions can offer these highly sought-after certifications without the need for costly investments in faculty or infrastructure. MedCerts handles the program development and delivery, allowing schools to focus on student recruitment and success.
Through the Next Level Jobs grant, eligible schools in Indiana can offer these certification programs to students at no cost. The grant covers the tuition for students pursuing certifications in high-demand industries, making it an attractive option for both schools and students. Schools can leverage this grant to enhance their program offerings without adding financial burdens to their budget, all while contributing to the state’s workforce development goals.
Indiana academic institutions have a unique opportunity to bridge the workforce skills gap in healthcare and IT by partnering with MedCerts. By leveraging the Next Level Jobs grant, schools can provide students with industry-recognized certifications that lead to immediate career opportunities—all without the heavy lifting that often comes with launching new programs.
Take The Next Step
Connect with MedCerts today to explore how your institution can offer certifications that empower students, close the skills gap and support Indiana’s growing industries.
