Two years ago, the Indiana Bankers Association established the Financial Services Academy and set out to create a new path leading the new generation of Indiana’s banking workforce into the industry. Today, that vision is becoming a reality, with high school apprentices gaining hands-on experience at banks across the state and Indiana’s banking industry once again demonstrating its commitment to innovation and developing the next generation of talent.
The first year of our Retail Banking Apprenticeship provides an important foundation for what we believe can become a transformational workforce model for the industry.
None of this would have been possible without the banks that stepped forward to join our inaugural group of partners. Launching a new statewide apprenticeship on an accelerated timeline required a willingness to try something new, work collaboratively and help us refine the model along the way. We are incredibly appreciative of those banks that took that leap with us.
Their contributions extend well beyond their own organizations. The experiences and feedback from our initial bank partners are helping shape a model that can serve banks throughout Indiana for years to come and provide a blueprint for apprenticeship programs beyond our state.
Our broader vision is for the Financial Services Academy to become Indiana’s ‘one-stop shop’ for apprenticeships across the entire financial services sector.
As we move into our second year, our focus is not simply on growing the program, but on continually improving it. We are working with the Indiana Department of Education and high schools to create greater consistency and flexibility in student scheduling so apprentices can more easily balance their academic and workplace responsibilities. We are also exploring opportunities for students to receive additional high school course credits through their apprenticeship experience, including areas such as communication and mathematics.
At the same time, we are working with higher education partners to create opportunities for apprentices to receive college credit for prior learning. Our goal is to develop seamless transitions into postsecondary programs for students who choose to continue their education, allowing their apprenticeship experience to serve as a foundation for both their career and future academic pursuits.
The Financial Services Academy is also expanding beyond Retail Banking. In the 2027-28 school year, banks will have the opportunity to participate in a new Bank Operations Apprenticeship, providing another pathway for students to discover the wide variety of careers available within the banking industry. We also plan to launch an Insurance Apprenticeship that same school year as part of our broader vision for the Financial Services Academy to become Indiana’s “one-stop shop” for apprenticeships across the entire financial services sector. Future pathways are planned in areas including mortgage, wealth management and accounting.
For banks considering joining the Retail Banking and/or Bank Operations apprenticeships next school year, however, the most important message is simple: the time to begin planning is now.
Student recruitment needs to begin before December. Starting early allows us to build awareness and interest among students in partner schools within your communities, educate students and families about careers in banking, and develop the strongest possible pool of candidates before schools begin making scheduling decisions for the following academic year.
If your bank participated in one of our informational sessions this fall, we appreciate your interest and hope you will continue the conversation with us. If you were unable to attend, our team would welcome the opportunity to meet individually with your bank, provide an overview of the apprenticeship model and discuss how participation could work within your organization and community.
The first year has demonstrated what is possible when Indiana’s banking industry comes together around a shared vision for developing its future workforce. Our inaugural bank partners helped us take an ambitious idea and put it into practice. Now we can build on that foundation, expand the number of students and communities we serve, and create an increasingly strong pathway into banking careers.
Banking has led the way from the beginning. As we look toward Fall 2027 and beyond, we invite even more Indiana banks to join us in building what comes next.
