Challenge 2: Grow Local Talent

Background & Need

In order to grow, communities need to attract and retain talent. Talent is the new currency. Maine is in competition with other states and the world to build and retain a creative and productive workforce, to attract knowledge industries, and to have a well-educated public that can make wise civic and policy decisions. 

In the long run, Maine will invest in our early care and pre-K system on par with how we invest in the rest of our educational system. We will prepare our children entering kindergarten to succeed. We will prepare all students to achieve the competencies needed to find a place in the future economy. 

In the short term, we will help adult workers, who are now (or could be) in the workforce, to upgrade their skills so that they can qualify for better paying jobs — and to simply keep their own jobs, which will require new skills as technology changes. 

• Currently, 190,000 Maine adults (20%) have begun, but have not yet completed, a postsecondary program of study. Over a third of students at the University of Maine and the Community College Systems are over 25 years old. 
• Additionally, there are approximately 100,000 people living in Maine that are of working age but are not currently engaged in the workforce. A study done several years ago estimated that Maine can increase its workforce by over 30,000 people by increasing the labor force participation of seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and young people who are disengaged from school and work.22 While all of these people may not be able to enter the workforce, many will be able to access work opportunities with encouragement, direct support, physical accommodations in the workplace, flexible work arrangements and mentoring. 

The education system must be dynamic and available to workers on short notice in response to new job opportunities. Maine unions will have a critical role in identifying opportunities, providing training, and modeling well-established and successful apprenticeship programs.