Editor,

There is looming labor shortage coming and many forward thinking businesses have implemented a student cooperative program (co-op) to develop the talents and interests of our current college students hoping they will stay and work in Maine after graduation. 

My employer, Texas Instruments, has ramped up its summer co-op program where young technicians from local vocational programs can spend their summer plying their skills working on high tech manufacturing equipment instead of flipping burgers.  Despite what people may say about this new generation of workers, I’ve found the young co-ops I’m working with very savvy in technology with an excellent work ethic. 

Here in Saco, Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick has partnered with Thornton Academy to offer a free machining technology correspondence course to TA students.  Completing this program has earned one of my daughters a part time co-op position at their facility as a machinist.  A hardy thanks to Pratt & Whitney and TA for making this possible. 

What prompted me to submit this letter was the great news I read in the City of Saco’s monthly newsletter, The Pepperell Post.  You can view this newsletter at the City’s website and sign up to get a monthly email link to it every month.  In the August issue, I was pleased to see that our city of Saco is also investing in its future by offering co-op positions. 

Beyond the young people working such jobs as helping our Parks & Recreation Department maintain our green areas or helping with summer children’s program, Saco also has college co-ops performing needed services at city hall.  I invite everyone to click on the “Summer Associates” section of the newsletter and read the impressive biographies of the college students involved in this program and the great projects they’re working on. 

I would like to thank and congratulate our forward thinking Saco administrators and the supporting city council for offering these co-op positions to our college students.

Ted Sirois

Saco