Committee gives unanimous, bipartisan support to Sen. Daughtry bill to improve and expand career and technical education in Maine

AUGUSTA — On Wednesday, the Legislature’s Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs voted in favor of a bill from Sen. Mattie Daughtry, D-Brunswick, to improve and expand career and technical education opportunities for Maine students. An amended version of LD 680, “Resolve, To Reestablish the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System,” passed with unanimous, bipartisan support in committee.

“Career and technical education is a major pathway to help young Mainers launch fulfilling, successful careers. More than that, our economy relies on these programs to train qualified workers for in-demand industries. That’s why it’s so important that we make sure Mainers have good access to quality career and technical education, regardless of where in the state they live,” said Sen. Daughtry. “I’m thankful for the committee’s consideration and strong support of this bill. I’m excited to see the improvements this will ultimately bring to Maine.”

LD 680 would establish the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System. This 20-member task force would examine the feasibility, advantages and disadvantages of establishing a comprehensive four-year high school career and technical education program for Maine students, to help more Maine students find pathways to good-paying, local jobs. Under the amended version of the bill, the task force would share a report of its findings in 2023.

“Maine is the oldest state in the nation. With that distinction comes many challenges. We are facing the loss of qualified and skilled workers to retirement and few waiting in the wings to fill those roles. Today, manufacturers across the state have thousands of job vacancies with few applicants. These are good paying jobs,” said Jessica Laliberte, policy relations manager for Manufacturers Association of Maine, in testimony supporting the bill. “We need a strong and robust CTE program that shows students there is more than one pathway to a career.”

The bill now faces votes before the Maine Senate and House.