Ivy Tech and SlateUp Announce Strategic Partnership to Address Indiana's Manufacturing Talent Shortage

Ivy Tech Community College, South Bend-Elkhart, and SlateUp, Indiana’s premier manufacturing talent marketplace, have announced a new partnership to address Indiana's critical manufacturing talent shortage. This partnership signals an evolution in Indiana’s manufacturing industry by creating seamless pathways from education to high-demand, high-growth manufacturing careers, bolstering Indiana’s leadership in the manufacturing industry.

Ivy Tech, Indiana's "workforce engine," serves over 15,000 students annually in skills training programs. With SlateUp's mission to help frontline workers obtain fulfilling manufacturing careers, they are creating an industry environment that improves financial prospects for both Indiana's manufacturers and Hoosiers seeking economic mobility.

“We’re thrilled to partner with SlateUp to open new doors for students, giving them greater access to rewarding careers,” said Patrick Englert, Chancellor, Ivy Tech South Bend-Elkhart. “Together, we’re creating pathways that connect talent with opportunity and industry with skilled workforce and future leaders.”

The Ivy Tech + SlateUp partnership is a quantum leap toward combining talent, education, training, and validated employer career paths all within a consumer-grade application. Through this collaboration, Ivy Tech students gain access to SlateUp's platform, where they can build an online profile that highlights their skills, experience, and education. SlateUp's advanced matching then connects these students to high-demand manufacturing opportunities that align with their educational tracks. Employer partners gain direct access to Ivy Tech's pool of high-quality students, some of the most sought-after candidates in the region.

“Solving talent shortages and driving economic mobility starts with expanding access to the skilled workforce employers need, and there’s no better partner than Ivy Tech to do that, said Robert Merritt, CEO and Co-Founder of SlateUp. This partnership gives employers direct access to Indiana’s top talent while connecting students to real career paths that lead to stronger futures and a workforce built for Indiana’s success.”

SlateUp and Ivy Tech’s partnership is a bold, strategic move to close the critical disconnect between workforce training and employer demand—accelerating Indiana’s progress toward credentialing 82,000 learners annually while establishing a scalable model for workforce innovation. By combining Ivy Tech’s leadership in the next-generation workforce education with SlateUp’s cutting-edge talent marketplace, this collaboration strengthens the pipeline of career-minded talent, connecting learners to high-wage manufacturing roles and empowering employers to grow a skilled, motivated workforce built for long-term success. Now more than ever, this collaboration is critical to fill the over 1,000 jobs currently available.

It is not just workforce development; it is a model for economic growth, stronger communities, and long-term career mobility.

About SlateUp

SlateUp is a manufacturing talent marketplace tackling Indiana’s skilled labor shortage by focusing on employer-validated career paths over short-term job openings. By leveraging AI-powered matching and partnerships with the Northern Indiana Workforce Board and WorkOne, SlateUp connects workers to high-demand roles—like welding, machine operation, and maintenance—while improving hiring accuracy, retention, and the region’s manufacturing talent pipeline.