Many employers report that attracting, hiring and retaining middle-career level talent is their greatest current challenge. In July 2022, 50 percent of tech and tech-related job openings in Indiana were for mid-career roles requesting three-to-five years of experience. Employers state that, while attracting sufficient entry-level talent can be challenging, hiring qualified talent into middle skills roles is even more daunting.

Employers also indicate that the biggest preparation gaps in identifying talent are seldom related to technical skills. More often it is the foundational interpersonal, management and leadership skills that are lacking or under-developed for the mid-career roles. Rising professionals and new managers especially need to develop their skill and confidence in several key areas:


1. Emotional Intelligence

2. Time Management and Prioritization

3. Crucial Conversations and Productive Conflict

4. Planning and Leading Effective Meetings

5.Managing Budgets and Understanding Organizational Finance

6. Managing Performance and Building Employee Engagement

7. Building and Supporting Diverse and Inclusive Teams

8. Maximizing Remote Workers and Teams

9. Effective Communication and Presentation

10. Facilitating and Leading Change

To help employers address the challenges of hiring mid-career talent, TechPoint has developed a program to support organizations in developing and up-skilling their own talent into their hard to fill roles and to help assure that their team members in these positions are well-prepared and supported. Companies often have talent within their organizations who aspire to move into more responsible roles or new areas that present more long-term opportunity. Developing an internal approach to advancing and supporting such employees can play a vital role in filling these difficult mid-career gaps.

In October, TechPoint will launch a new initiative—The TechPoint Leadership Academy. The first program offered under the TechPoint Leadership Academy will be a “Rising Professional and New Manager Program” targeted specifically at addressing the aforementioned employer pain points.

Designed to support employers in elevating their current team members into more responsible and new management roles, the Rising Professional and New Manager Program will be a selective program based on employer nominations and sponsorships. Designed by local tech and community leaders for those interested in advancing at tech and tech-enabled organizations, the program will focus on knowledge and experiential learning designed to fill the gaps that technical education often neglects.

The program will provide access to networking with peers and experienced executives from across the industry. Classes will focus on the non-technical aspects of mid-career and managerial roles that are critical and foundational for success. The experience will include engaging presentations, interactive panels, small group problem-solving scenarios, and one-on-one mentoring from experienced tech executives. The participants will also work on professional growth goals identified in collaboration with their supervisors with support and coaching from the program facilitators and faculty. 

Jeff Ton, Founder of the Indy CIO Network, and Dennis Trinkle, Executive Vice President, Talent for TechPoint will serve as the inaugural program leaders . Local professional services firm, Milestone, will serve as a program partner and the presenting sponsor.

Click HERE to learn more about our Leadership Academy program.