Thank you for publishing your recent series on Maine’s workforce crisis (“Not Working: Inside Maine’s Labor Crisis”). To solve this problem, we need strong public and private sectors commitment to making sure all Maine people have the educational training, credentials and experience needed to succeed in our 21st century economy.

Throughout my long careers in architecture, engineering and community planning across three states, I have been involved in hiring workers at all levels. These experiences have made me acutely aware of our skills gap challenge, and I’m dedicated my efforts to addressing it.

It’s heartening to see so many of Maine’s education leaders and employers committing to achieving our educational attainment goal: ensuring 60% of Maine adults have a credential of value by 2025. This will mean brighter futures for employees and their families, our businesses and our communities. This is important not just for today’s employers, but also for those currently considering locating in Maine, especially in emerging industries like aquaculture, food production and scientific research.

As the state with the oldest population, we need every young person to reach their fullest potential and build a career right here in Maine. At the same time, we need to attract new talent, including from the pool of professionals who grew up here but left for college and initial careers.

Maine needs to double down on our commitment to helping workers make better connections to workplace opportunities with appropriate education and training.

Clifton Greim
Chair, Educate Maine board of directors and Maine State Chamber of Commerce
Auburn