Vermillion County: Over a million workers within an hour
Vermillion County is at the center of a two-state labor shed that’s over a million workers strong. That means your company has immediate access to people with a wide range of skills. Just as important, Vermillion County and surrounding communities in Indiana and Illinois are actively enhancing our workforce by delivering training through K-12 schools, colleges, and universities.
K-12 and Vocational Education
We believe a strong workforce starts with early awareness of career opportunities. That’s why local elementary and middle school students participate in high school career days and offer programs of their own. Our schools celebrate all career paths — not just those requiring a college degree. For example, middle school students participate in vocational education classes that provide a practical introduction to agriculture, business, Spanish, and industrial technology.
Indiana created a special technical honors diploma to encourage high school students to pursue career and vocational education and participate in workplace experiences. The diploma recognizes that career development is every bit as important as traditional academics. Additional vocational training for high school students is delivered through the Wabash River Career and Technical Education District, a technology-rich school offering workplace-focused programs in welding, manufacturing, machining, emerging automation, and computer technology.
Higher Education
Vermillion County is within 40 miles of a long list of well-known colleges and universities, including Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Indiana State University, DePauw University, the Indiana University School of Medicine, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, Wabash College, Ivy Tech Community College, and the Danville Area Community College. That gives Vermillion County companies access to a highly educated talent pool and opportunities to deliver specialized training to employees. And, just a little farther away, you’ll find major research institutions that include Purdue University, Indiana University, the University of Illinois, Ball State University, Indiana University/Purdue University-Indianapolis, the University of Notre Dame, Illinois Wesleyan University, and the University of Illinois-Springfield.
Workforce Training
Indiana’s workforce development training programs rank among the nation’s best, reflecting the focus on employers’ business goals. Examples of successful programs include Ivy Tech’s Workforce Certification Center, which prepares students for promising sectors such as biofuels and advanced manufacturing, and WorkOne Region 7, which helps people acquire in-demand skills and helps employers find the right people. There’s also the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s workforce education initiative, Ready Indiana, which supports employer efforts to sharpen skills.
Vermillion County Leadership Program
This program, in partnership with Purdue Extension, cultivates local leaders through a 9 month program of 11 sessions on a variety of topics, to help them better understand the county’s environment, the roles they play, and – most importantly – their own leadership potential.
