As part of Northeast Indiana, Whitley County is in the midst of an economic decline. Our per capita income has been on a downward slope for the past 15 years. What does this mean? For every dollar the average American worker makes, we now only make 80 cents. Compare this to 1995 when local workers made 99 cents to the nation’s dollar average. This decline must be stopped and reversed.



All is not bleak! The future holds great promise for careers in advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology in the defense and biomedical industries in Northeast Indiana. To secure and retain these jobs, we must be able to deliver a skilled and knowledgeable workforce.

Believing that education is the long-term key to providing vibrant, talented workers, the Board of the Community Foundation has committed to a bold initiative to bolster support for STEM education through community awareness and programming that support efforts currently underway in our schools. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and we can’t do enough to encourage educational pursuit in these areas!

Interested in learning more about STEM opportunities in the region? Talent Made Here has great resources and videos for students, educators and parents!
Check out www.talentmadehere.com