The Indiana Chamber of Commerce created the “Indiana Vision 2025: 2020 Snapshot” report to show that Indiana needs to improve its' economy and local businesses.

Though Indiana ranks second of five Midwestern states for metrics that contribute to an “attractive business climate” such as tax and regulatory policies, the state’s workforce seems to be falling behind other Midwestern states and national competitors, the report found, the Washington Times-Herald reported on June 12. 

Indiana’s infrastructure, education and entrepreneurs are falling behind other states causing businesses harm, the report found, the Washington Times-Herald reported. The state is 44th in the nation for entrepreneurs and 47th for employment at firms less than five years old.

“Even though Indiana has made a lot of progress over the last 20 years, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” Adam Berry, vice president of economic development and technology for the Indiana Chamber, told the Washington Times-Herald. “And other states aren’t slowing down.”

Berry told the Washington Times-Herald that despite progress in approximately 12 Department of Workforce Development regions, indicating improvement over the last year in the number of citizens with a degree, the state is still behind when it comes to new businesses formed in the state by entrepreneurs.

Though they praised the state for its efforts to grow in workforce development, Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar and Berry said legislators can do more to help people seeking a new career or entrepreneurial opportunity, the Washington Times-Herald reported. 

“Indiana legislators have abdicated their responsibilities to students and parents by taking the state backward in abandoning accountability and failing to maintain a leading-edge approach,” Brinegar said in a statement, the Washington Times-Herald reported.

Berry said the Chamber would like legislators to focus on school accountability and consolidating districts, the Washington Times-Herald reported, and that there should be more safeguards to encourage entrepreneurs to create a business plan. 

“We have to take steps to mitigate risks,” Berry told the Washington Times-Herald. “If they do fail — which the majority of businesses do — we need to make sure they don’t go bankrupt, or that their investors are discouraged from investing in more startups.”