Justin Hicks
Workforce Development ReporterJustin Hicks has joined the reporting team for Indiana Public Broadcasting News (IPB News) through funding made available by (IPBS) Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations. Justin will be based out of WVPE in his new role as a Workforce Development Reporter for IPB News.
Justin comes to Indiana by way of New York. He has a Master's Degree from the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University. He previously earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Appalachian State University where he played trumpet. He first learned about Elkhart, Indiana, because of the stamp on his brass instrument indicating where it was produced.
Not long ago, Justin started a branch of Young Eisner Scholars to work with intellectually curious students in Appalachia. He traveled through rural counties to start a dialogue about math, computer programming, writing, science and philosophy.
Justin was born and raised in Mt. Olive, North Carolina. He currently lives in South Bend with his dog, Charlotte.
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Half a dozen faculty at Indiana University said they’re bracing for striking graduate student workers to lose their positions. They said their concerns stem from information they’ve learned at closed-door meetings with the Provost and other campus administrators. -
Graduate students at Indiana University’s flagship Bloomington campus voted to extend their labor strike for another week. The student workers demand the university recognize their union and then begin negotiations for better pay and benefits.
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Indiana recorded a 2.2 percent unemployment rate in March. It’s the third lowest rate in the country and yet another record low for the state.
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Around 1,000 graduate student workers at Indiana University’s Bloomington campus are on strike to demand the school recognize them as a union. But the school says it has no intention of bargaining with the group – and no legal obligation to do so.
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Most Indiana manufacturers feel COVID-19 is no longer a significant threat to their businesses. In fact, in an annual survey, many said they expect profits to rise. Instead, they’re frustrated with supply chain slowdowns and labor shortages.
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As record numbers of people have quit their jobs — some for better ones — some pundits have taken to calling it “the great resignation.” The state’s Department of Workforce Development says that’s not exactly accurate — it’s more of a “great reassessment.”
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The Indiana Department of Education is offering money to schools, nonprofits and employers to help shepherd students into high-wage careers. The state is calling it the Explore, Engage, and Experience grant.
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Indiana lawmakers are continuing an effort to change how teachers pay union dues through paycheck deductions with a new law. It tweaks previous legislation that a federal judge said likely violated the constitution.
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Indiana’s unemployment rate hit record lows for the third straight month in February at 2.3 percent as the state also recorded the highest number of people working in a private-sector job.
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Indiana opened a statewide job board for schools this week. The state hopes to increase applications by making it easier to find and apply for jobs in one centralized portal. It's just one part of a broader strategy.
