Implementing INCAP at Your School
Find practical guidance for implementing INCAP at your school — from academic alignment and scheduling to student recruitment and ongoing support.
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Academic Alignment | Scheduling | Student Experience | Recruitment | When Plans Change | Your INCAP Connector | School Participation | Implementation FAQs
Academic Alignment
INCAP and Indiana’s High School Diploma Requirements
Indiana’s new high school graduation requirements provide students with the flexibility to engage in work-based learning, earn a degree or credential alongside their high school diploma, and personalize their educational journey to align with their goals.
The Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway offers schools a turnkey path to the Employment Honors Plus Seal. All INCAP apprenticeships meet the seal’s key requirements by providing at least 650 hours of work-based learning and culminating in either an INCAP Credential or degree, depending on the apprenticeship completed. Both will be added to Indiana’s Credentials of Value list in fall 2026.
Many INCAP apprenticeships also allow students to pursue the Enrollment Honors Plus or Enlistment & Service Honors Plus Seal, expanding students’ options after high school.
Funding Incentive for Honors Plus Seals
Indiana public schools receive funding for each student who earns any of the three Honors Plus Seals (Enrollment, Employment, or Enlistment & Service). Current projections estimate schools will receive $2,495 for each student who earns the Enrollment or Employment Honors Plus Seal. Read more about funding incentives in these legislative updates from the Indiana Department of Education (PDF, see page 7).
Scheduling
How Students Split Their Time Between School and Work
Each INCAP Apprenticeship Program occupation is designed so students spend multiple full days per week with their employer or at an off-site training center, with the remaining days spent at school. Schedules vary by occupation and grade level, but most students spend two to four days per week with their employer. This structure gives students meaningful time in the workplace while making it easier for schools, families, and employers to coordinate schedules and transportation.
This type of scheduling is important for several reasons:
- It creates a more authentic work experience. Students have enough time to participate in meaningful projects and daily operations.
- It supports stronger skills development. Consistent time on the job helps students build technical skills, professional habits, and confidence.
- It simplifies transportation and scheduling. Fewer trips make it easier to coordinate transportation between school and the worksite.
See How Scheduling Works
Learn how schools can build student schedules around INCAP apprenticeships while keeping students on track for graduation.
A video from Paul Ketcham, Assistant Secretary of Education with the Indiana Department of Education (6 min, 27 sec).
Sample Student Journeys
See how students can progress through a two- or three-year Apprenticeship Program, from career exploration and preparation through graduation and beyond.
Student Scheduling Examples
See how INCAP can fit within existing school master schedules. This Retail Banker example shows how apprenticeship time and required courses can work together within a student’s schedule, helping schools understand how INCAP could work within their own scheduling structure.
As a Retail Banker apprentice, Maya attends high school two days a week and works at a local bank three days a week. Her school schedule allows her to continue participating in choir while completing her apprenticeship.
- Maya, A Hypothetical Student Schedule Example
Student Experience
Supporting a Well-Rounded High School Experience
While participating in an apprenticeship changes how a student spends the school week, INCAP is designed to support a well-rounded high school experience. Schools can work with students to build schedules that support their apprenticeship, graduation requirements, academic interests, and other activities that are important to them.
Depending on the occupation, school, and individual student schedule, students may continue to participate in:
- Dual credit courses
- AP classes
- Electives
- Sports, clubs, choir, and other extracurricular activities
How AP, Dual Credit, and Elective Courses Fit
While at school, students take the courses they need to graduate with their Indiana high school diploma and meet the requirements of their INCAP Apprenticeship Program. Some apprenticeships require specific courses, which may include AP or dual credit courses, while others provide flexibility for students to build additional AP, dual credit, or elective courses into their schedules.
Making the Schedule Work for Each Student
Students should not have to give up the experiences that help them grow academically and personally in order to participate in an INCAP apprenticeship. Because schedules vary by occupation and student, counselors and work-based learning coordinators should work with their Regional INCAP Connector to understand the options available and build an appropriate schedule.
Practical Considerations for Students & Families
Counselors can also help students and families understand what to expect when it comes to transportation, costs, and pay.
- Transportation: Each Apprenticeship Program occupation follows a standardized schedule that outlines when students are in the classroom and when they’re on-site with their employer or at an intercompany training center. This consistent structure, combined with multiple full days per week on the job, makes it easier for students and families to plan reliable transportation in partnership with schools and employers. Regional INCAP Connectors can also help schools think through transportation options for students.
- Costs for Students: There is no fee to participate in INCAP. However, there may be initial costs associated with certain occupations, such as workplace-appropriate attire. Regional INCAP Connectors and schools can help students and families understand any occupation-specific requirements or expenses. INCAP apprentices may also be able to apply for Career Scholarship Accounts to help offset these costs.
- Pay: Students are paid throughout their apprenticeship. Depending on the occupation, that may be a monthly stipend during training or an hourly wage as a paid employee. Students earn money while building skills, experience, and professional connections that can benefit them long after high school.
- Liability: Liability is handled in the same way all work-based learning is handled. While participating in an INCAP apprenticeship, students are employees of their employer and are subject to the employer’s workplace policies, procedures, and applicable legal protections.
Recruitment & Student Selection
How Student Recruitment for INCAP Works
Recruiting and hiring students for an INCAP apprenticeship Program occupation is a collaborative effort among schools, INCAP Connectors, and employers.
The recruitment process typically includes the following steps:
- INCAP Connectors share occupation information. Schools receive occupation profiles, student journeys, example student schedules, and other resources.
- Connectors share available opportunities. Schools learn about INCAP Apprenticeship Program opportunities available in their region.
- Schools identify potential students. Counselors and other school staff consider students who may be a good fit based on interests, abilities, and career goals.
- Students explore opportunities. Students learn more about available apprenticeships through their INCAP Connector.
- Interested students apply. Students fill out one application per employer they are interested in working with. Applications are employer-specific and are often hosted on an employer’s website or talent management site.
- Employers interview and select students. Employers make the final hiring decisions.
- Schools and partners prepare students to begin. Schools, Connectors, employers, students, and families work together to finalize schedules and coordinate onboarding so students are prepared to begin their apprenticeships at the start of the next school year.
2027–2028 Recruitment Timeline
Below is the planned recruitment timeline for INCAP Apprenticeship Program occupations that will begin at the start of the 2027–2028 school year.
Late 2026
INCAP Connectors will share more information with schools, including occupation profiles, student journeys, example schedules, and a student and family toolkit. This information will also be available on this website.
January 2027
Individual apprenticeship slots open for applications, and INCAP Connectors begin sharing local opportunities with schools.
Spring 2027
Recruitment continues, and employers interview and select students for available opportunities.
Summer 2027
INCAP Connectors and employers onboard students who will begin their apprenticeships at the start of the 2027–2028 school year.
Finding Students Who May Be a Good Fit
Schools identify potential students who may be a good fit based on their interests, abilities, and career goals. Eligibility requirements vary by occupation and employer.
INCAP Connectors work closely with schools and employers to identify students who demonstrate interest in an occupation and meet program expectations, which may include factors such as enthusiasm for the industry, scheduling flexibility, attendance, transportation, and more.
Recruitment Resources
Use these resources to introduce INCAP to students and families and support the recruitment process.
Additional recruitment resources will be added as they become available.
When an Apprenticeship Isn't the Right Fit
Supporting Students When Plans Change
Apprenticeships are set up like any other employment opportunity in Indiana, meaning the apprentice can end their participation at any time, and the employer can end the apprenticeship at any time. What happens next depends on how long the student has participated in the apprenticeship and how close they are to their expected high school graduation date, similar to leaving any other course or Career and Technical Education pathway.
With just a semester of INCAP, a student will have already completed the 75 hours of work-based learning needed for the Enrollment Honors Plus Seal. Since INCAP Apprenticeship Programs are built to allow a student to earn a combination of the seals — and even the Indiana College Core in some instances — exiting an INCAP Apprenticeship Program should not impact a student more than leaving other similar work-based learning experiences.
To help ensure students and employers both have a positive experience, regional INCAP Connectors serve as the bridge between the two. They hold regular check-ins with students to see how things are going and communicate with Industry Talent Associations (ITAs) and school counselors about any concerns.
In addition, the iLab Indiana coalition is in the process of developing a recommended career advising structure and set of supports that considers students who change their minds about their career preferences or education and training pathway.
If a Student Decides to Leave
If a student wants to end their apprenticeship early, schools, employers, and INCAP Connectors can work together to determine the appropriate next steps based on the individual student’s situation. That may include exploring another INCAP occupation when appropriate, transitioning back to a traditional high school schedule, and ensuring the student continues making progress toward graduation requirements.
Working with Your INCAP Connector
A Built-In Support System for Schools
INCAP’s model offers a built-in support system for schools. INCAP Apprenticeship Programs are created by statewide Industry Talent Associations in partnership with employers in their industry, so schools and individual employers do not need to develop their own training plans or apprenticeship-specific curriculum.
Instead, schools partner with regionally located intermediary organizations called INCAP Connectors to identify students for INCAP and support successful implementation.
What INCAP Connectors Do
INCAP Connectors play a critical role in supporting schools as they connect interested students with apprenticeship opportunities in their Indiana communities. They work closely with schools to share occupation-specific information, identify potential students, and support students throughout the application and hiring process.
INCAP Connectors:
- Raise awareness of INCAP in their communities
- Create and maintain relationships with K–12 partners
- Bring local apprenticeship opportunities to schools and students
- Provide schools with support services, including student and parent education on INCAP
- Work to break down potential barriers for participants
What Schools Do
K-12 schools across the state play a critical role in supporting INCAP by offering INCAP Apprenticeship Programs to their students.
Schools:
- Help students explore career paths and identify opportunities that align with their interests and goals
- Help raise awareness of INCAP among K–12 students and families
- Deliver school-based curriculum for INCAP programs, which varies by occupation
- Partner with INCAP Connectors for successful implementation
Your regional INCAP Connector is your first point of contact for questions about bringing INCAP opportunities to your students.
Any Indiana High School Can Participate
Bringing INCAP Opportunities to Your Students
Any Indiana high school can participate in the Indiana Career Apprenticeship Pathway, and there is no fee for schools to participate. INCAP is designed to make it possible for schools across the state to connect students with high-quality apprenticeship opportunities without having to build apprenticeship programs from scratch.
Statewide Industry Talent Associations and employers develop the occupations, training plans, and apprenticeship-specific curriculum, while schools focus on helping students explore career paths, delivering the school-based curriculum required for each occupation, and integrating apprenticeships into students’ high school experience. Participation will look different from school to school based on available occupations, local employer opportunities, student interest, and scheduling needs.
Indiana public schools may also receive funding when participating students earn an Honors Plus Seal. Read more about funding incentives in these legislative updates from the Indiana Department of Education (PDF, see page 7).
Ready to explore INCAP for your school?
Implementation FAQs
Find answers to common questions about bringing INCAP Apprenticeship Programs to your school and supporting participating students.