Hendricks County Workforce Coalition
A collaboration addressing workforce barriers
Mission
We convene partners to identify and disrupt workforce barriers by collaborating with community members and leaders to create data-informed solutions, ensuring Hendricks County is a place where everyone can thrive.
Values
Diversity . Opportunity . Empathy . Active Partnership . Being Informed
About us
The Hendricks County Workforce Coalition is a collaborative effort led by community leaders, business professionals, elected officials, non-profit organizations, concerned citizens, and individuals with lived experience facing workforce challenges. United by a shared commitment to problem-solving through collaboration, communication, and innovation, the Coalition works to promote and elevate existing resources while recognizing that long-term solutions require sustained efforts and a broad network of partners.
History
Our journey began with a summit in August 2023, generously supported by the Hendricks County Community Foundation. Over 100 community and business leaders gathered to identify the key barriers hindering workforce growth and retention in Hendricks County. Three major challenges emerged—Housing, Transportation, and Child Care—each impacting both employers and employees. In response, three Task Forces formed dedicated to addressing these barriers, working toward both immediate improvements and long-term sustainable solutions. Over the past year, these three task forces have done the hard work to form the Hendricks County Workforce Coalition.
This structure ensures a focused, actionable approach to strengthening workforce participation and economic opportunity in Hendricks County.
Our Neighbors Tell the Story
Families, employers, and community organizations help illustrate why this work is essential.
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Goal
Increase the Availability of Affordable, High Quality Housing Options for Individuals and Families in Hendricks County
Why You Should Care
- Hendricks County’s population growth rate is 20.2%, compared to the State average of only 4.6%. 21.9% of Hendricks County residents are renters, not homeowners.
- The current median rent in Hendricks County for a 2-bedroom apartment is a staggering $1736 per month.
- For all renters in Hendricks County, the average cost burden of rent is over 36% of one’s income; For single parent or senior renters, the burden is over 64% of one’s income.
- The median single-family home value in Hendricks County is $318,500, whereas a family at the median income level ($88k) could only afford a home valued at $272,000 or less.
- The median income for college graduates in Hendricks County is $61k, whereas the median income required to actually cover the median rent level ($1736) month to month is over $62.5k.
Our Core Focuses
- Affordability: We believe housing is a human right and should be affordable at a variety of income levels in our community
- Diversity: We believe our community must provide more diverse housing options to meet the needs of our growing diverse population, not just more single-family houses
- Quality of life: We believe access to safe, stable, healthy housing is the single greatest determining factor in a person’s quality of life and health outcomes.
- Empathy: We believe that solving our community’s housing crisis starts by solving the “lack of empathy” crisis in each of our own individual hearts.
- Local policy: We believe meaningful changes to local zoning and property development policies will make an incredibly positive impact on our community’s housing crisis.
Housing
Task Force
Transportation
Task Force
Goal
Expand Access to Transportation for Individuals in Hendricks County
Why You Should Care
- 20.2% of the calls originating in Hendricks County to 211 between March ‘23 and March ‘24 seeking transportation referrals went unmet*
- Less than 1% of Hendricks County workers used public transportation and only 7.4% participated in a car pool**
- 24.6% of calls to 211 requesting transportation expense assistance went unmet*
- The average yearly cost to own and operate a new vehicle in 2022 is $10,728***
- 51.4% of respondents identified inadequate public transportation and traffic congestion as a top issue of concern in the 2022 Hendricks County Community Needs Assessment, up 10% from the 2019 assessment^
*in.gov/fssa/indiana-211-interaction-dashboard accessed 3/18/2024
**data.census.gov accessed 3/18/2024
***https://newsroom.aaa.com/2022/08/annual-cost-of-new-car-ownership-crosses-10k-mark/
^hendrickscountycf.org/for-our-community/community-needs-assessment/
Our Core Focuses
- Workforce Stability: We believe a stable workforce is dependent on reliable, affordable transportation and that Hendricks County employers can be part of the solution.
- Promote Resource Availability: We believe the availability of resources must be elevated within the community through intentional, consistent, relevant communication and networking.
- Diversify Transportation Options: We believe that Hendricks County is prime for development of multiple transportation options from all sectors – business, public, and nonprofit.
- Consumer Education: We believe that educating residents about vehicle ownership, financial responsibilities, and maintenance requirements will help them secure and retain reliable personal transportation.
goal
Expand Access to Affordable, High-Quality Child Care for Families Across Hendricks County
Why You Should Care
- 1 out of 4 Central Indiana children who may need Child Care cannot access any type of regulated Child Care program.*
- Barely 1/3 of Central Indiana’s regulated programs rank as high-quality. Barely one high-quality seat exists for every three children.*
- 62% of employers cite Child Care as a factor for why employees leave the workforce.***
- 64% of working parents say they have been late to work or left early due to insufficient Child Care.***
- The annual cost of care for one child is $9,673 – nearly equal to a year of IU Indianapolis tuition $10,676.**
- The average cost of high-quality care for infants and toddlers in Central Indiana is $14,163.*
- Comprehensive, high-quality birth-to-five early education realizes a 13% return on investment to communities.*
*”Data Center” Brighter Futures Indiana https://brighterfuturesindiana.org/data-center
**MoneySmarts https://moneysmarts.iu.edu/calculate- costs/index.html?page=tuitionAndFees
***Davis. “Employer Roadmap: Child Care Solutions for Working Parents.” U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Bishop.$122 Billion: The Growing Annual Cost of Infant-Toddler Child Care Crisis. Council for a Strong America, February 2023
Our Core Focuses
- Workforce stability: We believe a stable workforce is dependent on reliable, affordable, high-quality Child Care, and that Hendricks County employers can be part of the solution
- Promote resource availability: We believe the availability of resources must be elevated within the community through intentional, consistent, relevant communication and networking
- Grow the Child Care industry: We believe the Child Care industry is a worthwhile profession that should be encouraged and invested in as a viable career path
- Support early education and Child Care professionals: We believe that improving access to high-quality care requires a commitment to the professional growth and development of industry professionals.
Child Care
Task Force
Contact Us
Are you interested in disrupting barriers?
We are always seeking participation from our community members, local employers, and people who are experiencing barriers to gaining and maintaining employment in Hendricks County. Reach out if you would like to join the efforts!
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For Coalition Communication Contact
Tracy Berens-Funk
HCWorkforce@hendrickscollegenetwork.org
© Copyright – Hendricks College Network 2024