Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS) has been awarded a $5.1 million grant through the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to launch MUS RESTART (Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships, and Training), a regional workforce initiative that will expand career pathways for 680 justice-impacted young adults, ages 18 to 24, across Indiana and Ohio. Through partnerships with five Workforce Development Boards, MUS RESTART will connect participants to education, workforce training, supportive services, and careers in high-demand industries while strengthening collaboration among workforce, education, criminal justice, employer, and community partners.
Young adults involved in the justice system often face significant barriers to employment, including interrupted education, limited work experience, housing and transportation challenges, and difficulty navigating available resources. While many communities offer programs designed to address these barriers, services are often spread across multiple organizations. MUS RESTART will help bring those resources together into a coordinated workforce strategy that supports participants as they prepare for long-term careers and successful community reintegration. By connecting young adults to education, workforce training, supportive services, and long-term career opportunities, MUS RESTART aims to strengthen employment outcomes, reduce recidivism, and support lasting economic mobility.
As the regional intermediary, Midwest Urban Strategies will coordinate the program across five Workforce Development Board service areas while providing project oversight, technical assistance, performance management, and partner coordination. Working closely with criminal justice partners, MUS RESTART will help connect eligible young adults to workforce services before or as they return to their communities, helping them successfully transition into employment and the workforce.
The five Local Workforce Development Boards leading implementation include: Tecumseh Area Partnership / Region 4 Workforce Board, WorkOne South Central, Center of Workforce Innovations in Indiana, Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio and Stark Tuscarawas Workforce Development Board.
Together, these local boards will recruit eligible participants and provide coordinated workforce services, including career coaching, occupational skills training, supportive services, paid work experiences, and connections to employers. Those enrolled in the program will also have opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials and explore pre-apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship pathways aligned with regional labor market demand.
"Everyone deserves the chance to write a new chapter," said Tracey Carey, Executive Director of Midwest Urban Strategies. "Through MUS RESTART, hundreds of justice-impacted young adults facing significant barriers to employment will have access to education, workforce training, and support that can open the door to career pathways, opportunity, and economic mobility.”
Through MUS RESTART, program participants will prepare for careers in high-demand industries including advanced manufacturing, logistics and transportation, construction, skilled trades, and information technology. To strengthen the advanced manufacturing pathways, the program will partner with the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) and the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) to help align training with employer needs and expand connections to employers. MUS RESTART will also partner with the Foundation for Talent Transformation to leverage resources such as psychometric assessments, AI coaches, and courses. The Foundation will provide expertise in AI and technology, while the partners engage experts in workforce development, reentry programs, and other relevant fields to develop an AI coach that helps participants easily access guidance, connect with helpful training and resources, and navigate workforce services, wraparound supports, and career pathways. Visionz Group will provide structured coaching and mentoring through virtual and augmented reality experiences that strengthen interview and communication skills. D Byers & Associates will provide employer engagement technical assistance and second-chance hiring expertise to help connect workforce initiatives to employer needs.
MUS partners like The Foundation for Talent Transformation recognize the growing role of artificial intelligence across industries. MUS RESTART participants will be required to complete the U.S. Department of Labor's introductory AI course to build foundational AI literacy and prepare for the evolving workforce. The course introduces core AI concepts, practical workplace applications, responsible use, and strategies for evaluating AI-generated information as young adults prepare for an evolving workforce.
As implementation begins across Indiana and Ohio, MUS and its network of partners look forward to helping justice-impacted young adults gain the skills, confidence, and opportunities needed to succeed while strengthening regional workforce systems. Designed as a collaborative workforce model, MUS RESTART will demonstrate how coordinated partnerships can expand opportunity and create lasting impact for individuals, employers, and the communities they call home. To learn more about MUS RESTART, visit www.midwesturbanstrategies.com.
About Midwest Urban Strategies:
Midwest Urban Strategies, Inc. (MUS) is a leading workforce intermediary that convenes urban workforce development boards to drive economic opportunity and social mobility. MUS collaborates with workforce boards, government agencies, employers, and community organizations to develop innovative workforce solutions that address labor market needs while supporting underserved populations.
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