More than 4,000 students have benefited from the Maine Career Exploration Badge, with more than $2 million directly placed into the hands of Maine students. This significant achievement is highlighted in Gov. Mills’ refreshed 10-year Economic Development Strategy: The 2024 Reset, released in March, underscoring JMG’s vital role in shaping Maine’s future workforce, according to a news release from Craig Smith with JMG.

This innovative program provides high school juniors and seniors with job-ready skills and meaningful work experiences. Students who complete the program are awarded the Maine Career Exploration Badge and a $500 academic award.
Economic Impact: The initiative has directly placed over $2 million into the hands of Maine students and their families, supporting their transition to post-secondary education and career pathways.

The Maine Career Exploration Badge represents a groundbreaking two-year initiative that aligned with Maine’s Economic Development Strategic Plan. JMG made a commitment to offer the Maine Career Exploration Badge to high school students enrolled in JMG and also made a commitment to offer the opportunity to all high school juniors and seniors throughout the entire state. JMG focused on a collaborative effort among public schools, private employers, and mission-aligned state agencies and nonprofits to provide students, especially those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with engaging learning opportunities through meaningful work experiences. This action-driven approach has significantly bolstered the emerging talent pipeline across various industries, connecting thousands of students to hundreds of businesses and funding paid work experiences.

“Craig Larrabee’s leadership philosophy, which emphasizes JMG’s role as a bridge between education and employers, has been instrumental in the success of the Maine Career Exploration Badge,” said Danielle Ahern, JMG board chair and the senior vice president, director, payments and corporate services at Bangor Savings Bank. “Craig’s approach to public-private partnerships reinforces the importance of post-secondary and career readiness, blending knowledge and competencies to prepare students for success beyond high school.”

Larrabee, President and CEO of JMG, led a call to action among public schools, private employers, and other mission-aligned organizations to develop and launch the Maine Career Exploration Badge. His vision was to help students, especially those starting high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, regain and enhance hands-on learning opportunities through community engagement and work experience. This collaborative effort also embraced social and emotional learning support for students.

Maine’s largest employers, including Unum, MaineHealth, L.L.Bean, CMP, and BIW, along with small business owners throughout the state, have dedicated over 20,000 volunteer hours to support students through this innovative workforce development initiative.

For more information visit jmg.org.

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