MAINE’S WORKFORCE PANEL PASSES COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE ADDRESSING MAINE’S SKILLS GAP AND WORKFORCE CHALLENGES

First of its kind legislation gets green-light

AUGUSTA—The Legislature’s Joint Select Committee on Maine’s Workforce and Economic Future unanimously passed a comprehensive measure addressing Maine’s skills gap and workforce challenges.

LD 90, “An Act To Strengthen Maine’s Workforce and Economic Future,” is an omnibus piece of legislation that renews the partnership between government, education, workers, and businesses, and addresses the specific factors contributing to the “skills gap”.

“The skills gap facing Maine workers and businesses is a key priority of this Legislature and the committee’s work is recognition that we are on the right track to solving it,” said Senator Seth Goodall. “Undoubtedly, this measure, once law, will put people back to work and help grow Maine’s businesses.”

The fifteen-member committee, led by co-chairs, Senate Majority Leader Seth Goodall and House Majority Leader Seth Berry began its work three months ago addressing Maine’s workforce challenges to better connect the needs of workers and businesses to help them compete in today’s economy.

“We’re proud of this legislation developed with input from education, labor and business leaders,” said House Majority Leader Seth Berry (D-Bowdoinham). “This proposal will help our workers gain the skills and credentials they need for the jobs of tomorrow—a key part of growing our middle class.”

The measure, sponsored by Senate President Justin Alfond (D-Portland), garnered broad support from the Maine State Chamber, Chancellor James Page of the University of Maine System, President John Fitzsimmons of Maine’s Community College, and the Maine AFL-CIO among others.

“The work by this committee was bold and demonstrated leadership on one of the most important issues facing Maine workers and Maine businesses,” said Senate President Alfond.  “We know that a skilled workforce isn’t going to happen overnight. It will take a sustained and focused effort and this is a great beginning.”

Highlights of LD 90 include a first-ever uniform and seamless credit transfer system between the University of Maine System and Maine Community College System including block credit and reverse credit transfers. These innovative ideas were brought to the committee by University and Community College leaders and will increase the number of Maine people with college degrees. Block credit transfer agreements guarantee that a student who receives an associate’s degree from the community college who transfers to the University will receive a minimum number of transfer credits. Reverse credit transfer agreements allow students who transfer to the University before completing an associates degree be retrospectively granted an associates degree, once those requirements are met at the University.

The bill also creates a “training pipeline” by bringing four additional degree programs for high demand, high wage jobs to rural Maine and reduces the back log of waiting lists at Maine’s community colleges for 14 high-demand programs.

“The committee deserves our praise for its comprehensive and practical solutions for dealing with one of Maine’s biggest economic challenges – the skills gap, said Community College President, John Fitzsimmons. “In my 25 years of working with the Legislature, this is some of the most impressive and thoughtful work I’ve seen come out of Augusta.”

The measure also supports a new college scholarship fund for “adult learners,”—students who started degree programs but have left school before earning their degree. According to recent studies, there are more than 200,000 Mainers with “some college.” This scholarship will provide financial assistance to over a thousand adult learners. It will be funded by both the University of Maine and the state.

“Our work has focused on making sure that we better connect the dots between our education system and the good paying jobs of the future,” said Senator Roger Katz (R-Augusta).  “I think we have made a great start, and I am pleased that we were able to do so in a completely bipartisan way.”

The bill also addresses the needs of Maine’s many highly-skilled foreign trained professionals—immigrants who are trained in highly skilled professions like doctors, lawyers, engineers, technology experts in their home countries, who want to integrate into the U.S. job market but are unable to because of a lack of training programs tailored to their situation. This measure supports a pilot program through Portland Adult Education, in conjunction with Lewiston Adult Education, to create a Welcome Center that will help foreign-trained professionals get the training they need, quickly, to use their skills here in Maine, thus helping solve Maine’s skills gap and growing the Maine economy.

The omnibus measure also expands the existing collaboration between Maine’s community college system, workers, and businesses to provide a worker training system for “incumbent workers.” This program will train existing workers to enhance and supplement their existing skill set with current training so the worker can stay relevant in their field and the business can remain competitive in their industry.

Additionally, the bill restores funding for Maine Apprentice Program.

“I’m very pleased that Republicans, Democrats, and the Governor’s Office were able to work together to craft thoughtful legislation that expands upon our efforts to close the skills gap and help Maine businesses and unemployed workers,” said Joyce Maker (R-Calais)

The bill will now head to the Senate and House for further votes. The final version will be available on-line Thursday.

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