Task Force finds significant economic opportunity in healthcare
AUGUSTA–Last month the Legislative Task Force on Maine’s 21st Century Economy and Workforce released a series of recommendations designed to seize projected opportunities and mitigate workforce shortages in Maine’s growing healthcare sector. The Task Force, which came out of a joint order sponsored by Sen. Nate Libby, D-Lewiston, concluded that Maine should turn to healthcare to boost the economy and strengthen the state’s workforce.
“Between the growing number of nurses set to retire in the next decade and the increasing healthcare needs of Maine’s aging population, we must do more to attract, train and retain more working-age Mainers in this profession,” said Sen. Libby, the Assistant Senate Democratic Leader. “It is clear that Maine’s economy is at a crossroads. If we make modest, long-term investments in Maine’s healthcare workforce now, we can reap the benefits of a thriving economy later on.”
Comprised of elected officials and experts in the fields of education and business, the Task Force initially set out to address one of the biggest challenges holding back Maine’s economy: inadequacies in the state workforce. The group met on six different occasions and identified three factors contributing to Maine’s workforce shortage: an aging workforce, a changing economy and job market, and significant barriers to accessing skills training and workforce development. Each of the recommendations outlined in the report seeks to address these underlying challenges by making nurse training programs more accessible and affordable to Mainers. Recommendations include student debt relief, apprenticeship programs and increasing capacity of Maine’s community college system.
“The future of Maine’s economy lies with our people. If we are serious about strengthening our economy, we need to make sure Maine workers have the skills necessary for the jobs available. Strong skill-building and job training programs can make this happen,” said Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic. “While I am pleased with the work we accomplished on this Task Force, I know it is just a start. Healthcare is just one part of Maine’s economy. I look forward to working with my colleagues to continue this exciting work.”
The recommendations are as follows:
- Provide an additional $650,000 in ongoing funding, and $200,00 in one-time funding, in Fiscal Year 2018-2019 to the Maine Community College System to hire nursing faculty, expand nursing classes and establish a nursing simulator facility.
- Provide funding for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program in order to increase the number of nursing faculty in nursing education programs in the State and address Maine’s critical nursing faculty shortage.
- Increase accessibility to the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program through collaboration between the Maine Community College System and the Maine Department of Labor to help facilitate the enrollment of eligible community college students in the program. This builds off of Sen. Libby’s work to alleviate student debt and Sen. Vitelli’s work to strengthen the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program so more Mainers can access the education they need to participate in Maine’s economy.
- Gather additional information from the Maine Department of Labor regarding how the Maine Apprenticeship Program may be better used to enhance workforce training for the health care sector and support LD 781, “An Act To Support the Trades through a Tax Credit for Apprenticeship Programs.”
- Support LD 1492, “An Act To Attract Educate and Retain New Mainers To Strengthen the Workforce” to facilitate integration of immigrants into the workforce.
- Accept funding available to Maine under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
- Extend the Task Force through at least the end of 2018.
The Task Force on Maine’s 21st Century Economy and Workforce has met its objectives but seeks to continue this important work throughout the next year. The group wants to expand its focus to other priority sectors that play a critical role in Maine’s economy. The entire report is available online at: http://legislature.maine.gov/uploads/originals/21st-century-economy-and-workforce-report-december-2017.pdf
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