Maine’s statewide workforce initiative 60% by 2025 Maine’s statewide workforce initiative

A Sense of Urgency for Maine Population Trends – Maine is aging and our population will begin to shrink in size 2003 to 2032: population 65 and older  166,000; under 65  -172,000 Economic Activity – Growth has been anemic and is predicted to remain so 2009 to 2014: GDP  -1.2% 2014 to 2024: Total Job Growth Projection < 1% Workforce Mismatch – Worker skills don’t match the need in the economy and that gap is predicted to widen Patchwork Approach – Many good efforts but very little coordination limiting effectiveness

How Do We Approach This Challenge? A National Need: States nationwide are addressing their workforce challenge by setting postsecondary educational attainment goals, identifying strategies, and building coalitions (business, education, and policy) to solve the problem Postsecondary attainment is defined broadly to include professional certificates, trade credentials, technical certifications, and college degrees - the common trait is that the training/education pathway is connected to demand in the economy – a job The Lumina Foundation: 60% by 2025 60% of the nation’s workforce with a credential of value by 2025

New England Attainment Goals 75% 70% 60% 65%

A 10-Year Workforce Growth Scenario 1.1 million work eligible (ages 16 and up) 660,000 employed 42% with credential of value 277,000 Year: 2025 Over 1.1 million (ages 16 and up) 725,000 employed 60% with credential of value 435,000 Workforce Growth 10% Job Growth Higher Skilled Workforce Note: This depicts future workforce requirements necessary to support a 10-year total labor force growth of 10% over today’s workforce. This is a “high growth scenario estimate” produced by the Maine Department of Labor’s CWRI and the Maine Office of Policy and Management. It assumes that future jobs will require the same level of degree/credential attainment as today’s jobs.

Maine Workforce Goal: 60% by 2025 If Maine were to grow jobs by 10% over 10 years that would mean 65,000 more jobs than today. To meet the demands of the economy, 60% of that larger workforce would need a credential of value in addition to a high school diploma. This translates to an increase of 158,000 skilled workers over today’s numbers.

A Strategic Framework to Achieve the Goal Strong Foundations (Birth to 6th Grade) Future Success (middle school to age 25) Adult Promise (ages 25 and up) New Opportunities (attract and retain) 25% 35% 40% 10-YEAR FOCUS LONGER VIEW

Future Success: prepares Maine’s youth for college, trainings and career options so they are ready to launch successful adult lives.  3 major components: Leave High School College and Career Ready: students have the requisite skills and experiences that allow them to continue their learning and to embark on a career without the need for remediation. College Degree Attainment: students have the supports, learning opportunities, and guidance to complete a program of study that positions them for a good job and career in Maine. Career Credential Attainment: students have the supports, learning opportunities, and guidance to complete an accredited career and technical training program that positions them for a good job and career in Maine.

What does it mean to be “college AND career ready”? According to the Maine Department of Education (MDOE), more than 50% of students who enter community college in Maine must take remedial courses before they can take college-level courses for credit. The state’s employers say they have difficulty finding employees who come prepared to think critically, communicate, collaborate or have a basic ability to read and write effectively. In fact, the skills that employers say their applicants are lacking are the same ones that professors report their students do not have.