Last year, the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development put out the Maine Economic Development Strategy, a nonpartisan roadmap to growing our economy and addressing some of our biggest obstacles in the next 10 years. At the center of this plan is the notion that people are central to Maine’s economy, and therefore our strategy must focus on growing our local talent. By helping Mainers find prosperous careers, and fill gaps in our workforce, we can build a strong economy that works for everyone.

As a member of the Legislature’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, I’m working to invest in our workforce. We are working through Governor Janet Mills’ supplemental budget proposal in the committee this year, and not only are we considering increasing the state’s investment in K-12 education, but we are also considering expanding a number of programs that will invest in and empower Mainers to help build our economic future.

It starts by helping students figure out what they want to do when they grow up. Maine’s Middle School Career and Technical Education (CTE) program helps kids in grades six through eight explore different career options and begin to develop workplace skills through hands-on activities. This helps students start to think about their future and connect their classroom learning to the real world.

Once they reach high school, if they so choose, students can begin taking vocational classes at one of Maine’s 27 CTE Centers and Regions, including the Westbrook Regional Vocational Center, where Scarborough High School students can go to take classes in automotive technology, culinary arts, firefighting and many other areas that can help them develop the skills they need to land a good-paying job in an in-demand field, or continue their education, if they so wish. We are considering a one-time appropriation in the supplemental budget to upgrade Maine’s CTE facilities, ensuring students have an opportunity to learn in an up-to-date environment using equipment they’d see in the field.

Apprentice programs can help folks at any age develop a strong skillset. The Maine Department of Labor currently runs the Maine Apprenticeship program, which enables employers to set up on-the-job training to help their employees grow their skills and get ahead in their careers, while still earning money. We are also considering an appropriation to expand this program, which has been very successful in recent years.

Higher education is another piece of the puzzle. Maine’s Community Colleges provide an affordable opportunity for Mainers to develop their talents, and the colleges are looking for opportunities to better fill our workforce needs. We are looking at ways to help with that, including expanding funding for Maine Quality Centers, a program run by the community college system that offers workforce training grants to Maine employers interested in providing training for new or current employees.

Of course the University of Maine System also plays a role in growing our local talent. Their campuses are hubs for innovation and growth, and draw in students from around the country and around the globe to learn in our beautiful state, alongside the many Mainers who also attend. Maine’s state universities play an absolutely critical role in Maine’s economic future. We are looking at adding funding to stem possible future tuition increases, to make sure these schools are accessible and affordable to all who want to attend.

We can build a strong, sustainable economy that works for everyone, but we have to give Mainers the tools they need to make it happen.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact my office at (207) 287-1515 or send me an email at Linda.Sanborn@legislature.maine.gov. You can also subscribe to my newsletter at www.mainesenate.org. It’s an honor to serve as state senator for Scarborough.

State Sen. Linda Sanborn represents District 30, which includes Gorham, part of Buxton, and part of Scarborough. She previously served in the Maine House of Representatives, and prior to serving in the Legislature, was a family physician in Gorham for 25 years.