Maine faces a workforce crisis. From teachers to nurses, from skilled tradespeople to cybersecurity professionals, employers across our state struggle to find qualified workers. The solution is as clear as the challenge — we need more Mainers with the education and training to fill these critical roles. Yet Congress is considering cuts to one of our most effective workforce development tools: the Pell Grant program.

Today, nearly 24,000 Maine students receive Pell Grants, with an average award of $4,825. These aren’t just statistics — they represent our future teachers, health care workers, electricians and small business owners. I serve as president and CEO of the Mitchell Institute, a Portland-based nonprofit whose mission is to increase the likelihood that young people from every community in Maine will aspire to, pursue and achieve a college education. Seventy-five percent of our scholarship recipients are Pell Grant-eligible. These students are investing in themselves and Maine’s economic future.

The federal budget proposal moving through Congress without compromise would slash Pell Grant funding by eliminating part-time and three-quarter-time student eligibility and reducing the maximum award by $1,685 — from $7,395 to $5,710 annually. For a nursing student at Eastern Maine Community College or a future teacher at the University of Maine at Farmington, this cut could mean the difference between completing their degree and dropping out.

Research shows that Pell Grants pay for themselves within 10 years through higher income taxes paid by more educated workers. By 2031, 66% of good-paying jobs will require a bachelor’s degree, and another 19% will require some postsecondary education. Cutting Pell Grants doesn’t just hurt individual students — it undermines our state’s long-term economic competitiveness.

Our infrastructure projects and housing crisis require skilled trades workers. Maine’s health care system desperately needs more nurses. Our schools face historic teacher shortages. These aren’t jobs that can be outsourced or easily automated — they require people with specialized training who choose to build their careers here in Maine.

Consider a Mitchell Scholar from Biddeford whose parents work multiple jobs to support their family. Without a Pell Grant, she couldn’t afford to pursue a cardiovascular technology degree at Southern Maine Community College. After graduation, she’ll fill a critical need in our health care system while earning a family-sustaining income. This is exactly the kind of investment that strengthens communities.

The Pell Grant program has enjoyed bipartisan support for over 50 years because it works. The current maximum Pell Grant covers one-third of the average cost of attending a public four-year college in Maine and plays a significant role in ensuring community colleges can extend free and affordable tuition programs.

Maine’s congressional delegation has consistently championed investments in education and workforce development. The proposed cuts would affect more than half of current Pell recipients nationwide, with an estimated 20% losing access entirely. In Maine, this means thousands of students — many from working families in rural communities — would face impossible choices between debt and dreams.

Maine’s students have earned this investment through their hard work and determination. Our economy depends on their success. We cannot afford to let them down.