Event will include inaugural Champions of Opportunity Awards
Invest Hamilton County (IHC) will hold its expanded State of the Workforce event from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 24 at the Renaissance Indianapolis North in Carmel.
Now a full-day program open to the public, the event will convene local school superintendents, state economic development leaders, city partners, employers, and community stakeholders for a comprehensive look at the forces shaping Hamilton County’s workforce and economy. The event will also feature the inaugural Champions of Opportunity awards, recognizing five individuals or organizations making a significant impact in expanding opportunity across the community.
The full-day format reflects the growing complexity of workforce challenges and the depth of collaborative solutions underway across the county. Keynote presentations from Lightcast – a leading labor market analytics firm – and IHC President & CEO Mike Thibideau will anchor the program, alongside sessions featuring Hamilton County school superintendents, Indiana Economic Development and entrepreneurship leaders, and city economic development directors from across the county.
Hamilton County continues to distinguish itself through a data-driven workforce strategy. Since 2019, the county has added 19,490 net new jobs, while personal income growth has increased 50.5 percent over the past five years, outpacing inflation. Approximately 3.3 percent of local job postings now reference AI-related skills, reflecting a rapid shift in employer demand and the need for new approaches to talent development and career readiness. These insights, drawn from IHC’s Data Hub, underscore the county’s commitment to aligning workforce systems with evolving economic realities.
Thibideau
“Data drives what we do at Invest Hamilton County, and as AI, diploma requirements, and policy changes evolve in our society, we need to evolve along with it to stay at the head of the pack,” Thibideau said. “This expanded event is about bringing the right people into the same room to have honest conversations about what’s working, what’s next, and how we continue to lead.”
The event will also feature the inaugural Champions of Opportunity awards, recognizing employers, educators, community leaders, and partners who embody IHC’s commitment to removing barriers and creating sustainable pathways to economic vitality. Award recipients will be announced at the event.
The event is presented with support from the Hamilton County Community Foundation, Hamilton County Tourism, Aspire Indiana Health, Hamilton County Government, OneZone Chamber of Commerce, Westfield Chamber of Commerce, and Noblesville Chamber of Commerce.
Registration is open to the public, and ticket pricing and the full agenda are available at investhamiltoncounty.com/events.