Midwest calling: Greater Lafayette's innovative plan to lure top talent

BY ANGELA K. ROBERTS

Evonik and Caterpillar, two industrial giants with a significant presence in Greater Lafayette, are at the forefront of an innovative talent attraction campaign casting a wide net across the Midwest. The experimental initiative, spearheaded by Greater Lafayette Commerce, aims to bolster the region’s workforce, drive population and wage growth, and enhance Greater Lafayette’s reputation as an attractive place to live, play, raise families and build careers.

Launched in early 2025, the advertising campaign is seeking candidates for key positions at Evonik, one of the world’s leading specialty chemical companies, and Caterpillar, a global leader in the manufacturing of construction, mining and other equipment.

“We wanted to look at surrounding areas that are within a good drive time, three to four hours to our location,” explains Chelsie Freeman, vice president, marketing and communications at GLC. Targeted towns include those with a high concentration of skilled talent and a strong industrial heritage – ideal hunting grounds for Greater Lafayette’s workforce needs.

A new frontier in talent attraction

Traditionally, GLC’s talent attraction efforts have focused on general awareness campaigns, which are difficult to measure results. The new experimental approach with Evonik and Caterpillar marks a significant shift.

“We are coming alongside these employers in tandem, showing them Greater Lafayette but also showing specific job opportunities here,” Freeman says.

The primary goal: to drive applications for high-demand positions. For Evonik, that’s production operators, who operate equipment and perform in-process testing and maintenance. The company’s Lafayette plant, known as Tippecanoe Laboratories, is one of the world’s largest contract manufacturing facilities for active pharmaceutical ingredients.

Evonik’s campaign concluded in April after about two months. Todd T. Wetli, vice president and site manager - Tippecanoe Laboratories, Health Care, says that the company continues to interview candidates that responded to the ads.

“The campaign was an opportunity to bring new talent with fresh ideas and perspectives to the region, providing access to a workforce currently unavailable locally,” he says. “Partnering with GLC enabled us to explore innovative recruiting and hiring strategies we hadn’t considered before.”

Collaboration for maximum impact

Caterpillar’s campaign kicked off in May. The company’s Lafayette Engine Center designs and manufactures diesel and natural gas engines. The GLC campaign is advertising for CNC machinists, who use computer numerical control (CNC) machines to manufacture parts and components from raw materials.

As with the Evonik phase, the Caterpillar phase is all-digital and includes display ads, social media, programmatic video (including Hulu ads), email marketing and customized landing pages with simplified job applications. GLC is covering all costs for both employers.

Evonik and Caterpillar have been active collaborators, working closely with GLC to identify high-need roles, refine job descriptions, review creative assets, and jointly track and evaluate incoming candidates.

While an external agency handles ad execution, Freeman and her team – with some help from local creative talent – are developing the assets, ensuring consistent messaging and brand representation.

Campaign messages focus on both employer-specific value propositions and quality of life in Greater Lafayette. Evonik and CAT offer relocation incentives, competitive compensation and opportunities for professional growth.

On the community front, key selling points include a relatively low cost of living, access to education through Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana, a family-friendly environment and green spaces. Demographic research shows that outdoor amenities are particularly important to the targeted applicants, Freeman says.

Data-driven monitoring

Freeman is meticulously tracking results, including the number of people that complete an application. She follows each prospect’s journey through the hiring pipeline in conjunction with the companies’ HR departments. These granular data allow GLC to retool messaging if a company is not getting the right kinds of applicants.

She’s also monitoring ad views and impressions, which reached millions of views during the Evonik phase. “Even if people don’t apply, they are still getting awareness of the employer and Greater Lafayette. You never know when someone is going to come around when the time is right for them,” Freeman says.

Wetli adds, “Evonik places strong emphasis on brand recognition. The campaign reinforces our commitment to educate stakeholders about Evonik’s core purpose and values. It also gives prospective employees valuable insights into the available opportunities and benefits at Evonik, fostering a deeper connection with our community.” He says that the company is open to future campaigns like this one.

The road ahead

Ultimately, Freeman hopes to develop a repeatable, scalable campaign model that can be adapted across various sectors beyond manufacturing, including healthcare. Right now, though, “It’s really just the beginning,” she says.

Still, the campaign represents a proactive step towards the twin cities’ urgent need for qualified workers by showcasing employers and highlighting community amenities. As the Evonik phase suggests, the ads are already planting seeds of awareness that could reap benefits for talent attraction and population growth far into the future. ★