Justin Hicks
Former Workforce Development ReporterJustin Hicks joined the reporting team for Indiana Public Broadcasting News (IPB News) through funding made available by (IPBS) Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations. Justin was based out of WVPE in his new role as a Workforce Development Reporter for IPB News.
Justin came 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.
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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. -
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. -
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.” -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
Public schools will soon be able to hire professionals without teaching experience under a new law signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb. Lawmakers designed it to fill vacant teacher jobs, but opponents worry it will hurt education quality. -
A Indiana nonprofit for veterans dealing with housing insecurity is being ordered to pay nearly $90,000 to caregivers after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation found the organization violated a new minimum wage requirement for federal contractors. -
Health care workers in Indiana saw a noticeable jump in workplace injuries and illness in 2020, according to OSHA data. Much of that was likely due to the exposure doctors and nurses had to COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic.
