Whether you’re preparing to graduate, exploring your next educational step or beginning your first professional role, the transition into the workforce can feel exciting and uncertain.
Should you pursue a bachelor’s degree? A technical certificate? An apprenticeship? Which careers are growing? What industries offer long-term opportunity? And perhaps the biggest question of all: How do you know if you’re making the right choice?
It’s easy to assume the answer begins with choosing the perfect major or landing the right internship, but according to Mandy Facer, communications leader at Lumina Foundation, it starts much more simply. Listening.
While Facer has built her career in communications, the lesson extends far beyond her profession. As Indiana continues investing in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, technology, logistics and agbiosciences, employers are looking for people who are curious, adaptable and committed to lifelong learning. Technical expertise matters, but so do communication, collaboration and the ability to grow alongside an ever-changing workforce.
Preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities isn’t just about learning new skills. It’s also about remaining open to new possibilities.
You may already have a place in Indiana's future
When many people hear the phrase advanced industries, they picture engineers, scientists, or software developers. Those careers are certainly part of the picture, but they’re far from the whole story.
Every innovative company also depends on project managers, accountants, marketers, communications professionals, human resources specialists, operations leaders, supply chain experts and countless others who help great ideas become real-world impact.
Needless to say, Indiana’s economy is evolving quickly.
Companies continue investing billions of dollars in facilities, research and innovation across the state, creating thousands of new careers in industries powered by advanced technology. Manufacturing facilities increasingly rely on robotics, automation and artificial intelligence. Life sciences organizations need researchers alongside communications professionals, business analysts and project managers. Logistics companies use sophisticated digital systems to move products around the world.
These industries aren’t simply creating jobs. They’re creating careers that look very different than they did even a decade ago. The opportunities are growing rapidly, and they’re dependent on innovative, enthusiastic talent.
Your career doesn't have to follow a straight line
One of the biggest misconceptions students and early-career professionals often have is believing they need to have everything figured out before graduation. Facer’s own journey tells a different story.
Throughout her career, mentors consistently challenged her to think bigger than she thought possible. Professors pushed her to improve her writing. Managers invested time teaching concepts beyond her immediate responsibilities. Every experience added another layer to the professional she would eventually become.
None of those moments looked like a perfectly planned career path. Instead, they became stepping stones, and that’s an important reminder for anyone preparing to enter today’s workforce. Your first internship doesn’t define your entire career, and neither does your first job. Every classroom project, volunteer experience, internship, and professional conversation teaches you something you’ll carry into whatever comes next.
The professionals who thrive aren’t necessarily the ones who followed the perfect roadmap. In fact, they’re often the ones who remained willing to learn as the road changed.
The skills that will always matter
- Can you communicate clearly?
- Can you collaborate with people whose perspectives differ from your own?
- Can you solve problems when the answer isn’t immediately obvious?
- Can you adapt when technology changes the way work gets done?
- Can you continue learning throughout your career?
Opportunity starts with curiosity
Across Indiana, employers, colleges, workforce organizations and philanthropic partners are working together to strengthen pathways into high-demand careers. Internships, apprenticeships, work-based learning experiences, and industry partnerships are making it easier for students and early-career professionals to gain real-world experience while exploring how their interests align.
Organizations like Ascend Indiana help connect employers with emerging talent, while Lumina Foundation continues advancing efforts to increase access to education and credentials that prepare people for meaningful careers. Together, these efforts recognize something important: Preparing people for the future isn’t only about education. It’s about helping them see what’s possible.
See Yourself IN what's next
Indiana’s advanced industries need engineers, scientists and skilled technicians. They also need communicators, educators, accountants, marketers, project managers, financial professionals, operations leaders and countless others who help organizations innovate, collaborate and grow. Every industry depends on people with different strengths working toward a common goal.
It’s about remaining open to possibilities and recognizing that your path may lead somewhere even bigger than you imagined.
Explore careers and more stories at SeeYourselfIN.com/resources
