A new initiative, led by the Indiana Language Roadmap at Indiana University, is underway to create a more culturally aware workforce in Indiana.

Leaders across business, education, health care, and government have developed a statewide plan to help Hoosiers navigate a global workforce. For world language learning, the Language Roadmap will diversify and enhance opportunities, increase access, ensure equity, improve quality, built statewide support and expand resources.

Teresa Nichols, the project coordinator, says Hoosiers already live in a globally connected world.

“Even if an individual doesn’t step a foot outside of the borders of Indiana they’re already living and working in multilingual, multicultural communities,” Nichols says. “So how can we use the resources that are already there and encourage people to think in new ways about how they are global citizens as well as a Hoosier.”

There are 10 regional leaders who will work collaboratively with the project team to write the Roadmap and further its implementation. The regional leaders are also responsible for recruiting “Community of Transformation” committees for their region to provide additional input on the strengths, challenges, and interests and to ensure multiple perspectives are reflected in the roadmap.

The two-year project is supported through the Language Flagship, an initiative funded by the Department of Defense.