Maine FFA State Convention Back in Person

The Maine FFA State Convention returned—following two virtual years due to COVID-19, as an in-person event on May 12-13, 2022. Formerly known as “Future Farmers of America,” FFA is the largest student-led organization in the country. Attended by over 250 FFA members, judges, guests and family members, this event, normally held at the University of Maine in Orono, was conducted for the first time in Presque Isle.

The Presque Isle location highlighted numerous agricultural opportunities of that area and relied on the joint hosting of both the University of Maine at Presque Isle and Northern Maine Community College. The two-day event featured competitions, agricultural and natural resources tours, community service events, a social event at Gentile Hall (the University of Maine at Presque Isle gymnasium and field house), and a chance to recognize the many achievements of middle and high school FFA members from throughout the year as well as at Convention.

Maine’s FFA State Officer team, Nickie Deschaine (President), Delaney McKeen (Vice President) and Ryder Brewer (Secretary-Treasurer), all originally from Central Aroostook High School, led the program, assisted by Clark Condon (Ashland High School), Lane McCrum (Central Aroostook High School) and Noah Rooney (Presque Isle Tech Center). Events were conducted and assisted by staff from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, Northern Maine Community College, the University of Maine, Orono, the University of Maine, Augusta in Bangor, the Maine Department of Education, teachers from local high schools and technical schools, former student FFA Officers, Northern Maine FFA Alumni, State FFA Officers from Connecticut, and representatives from a number of local agricultural and natural resources businesses and organizations.

Student competitions ranged from areas of environment and natural resources management, forestry and horse evaluation to agribusiness, employment skills, agricultural technology and mechanical systems and safe tractor driving. Students involved in public speaking events gained monetary prizes for their achievements. Tours included the hosting colleges, the Presque Isle Tech Center farm and greenhouse, the Penobscot McCrum potato plant in Washburn, Columbia Forest Products and Aroostook Truss in Presque Isle and Huber Engineered Woods in Easton. Community service events included work in the Presque Isle Community Garden, assisting the Presque Isle Recreation Department in yard work and trail work, and working on the University of Maine at Presque Isle community garden and greenhouse.

Jackson Sylvester, National FFA Secretary, Awards Banquet Speaker

Head Table, Maine FFA 2021-2022 State Officers Ryder Brewer (Secretary-Treasurer), Delaney McKeen (Vice President) and Nickie Deschaine (President)

Dan Chuhta, Maine Department of Education, Awards Banquet Speaker

Gentile Hall Social Event – Students on Rock Wall, one of available activities

Students received over $15,000 in awards, prizes and scholarships, with 9 students receiving $1,000 scholarships to attend the 2022 National FFA Washington Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.. Convention participants gained professional skills related to agriculture and natural resources, practiced team work, and enjoyed the insights shared by their retiring State FFA Officers and by President Raymond Rice of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, President Tim Crowley of Northern Maine Community College, Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta of the Maine Department of Education, and National FFA Secretary Jackson Sylvester, from Delaware. Students left the event energized for the coming FFA year and with many positive memories of their events and the students they got to meet from other schools. Newly elected officers for the coming year include the re-election of Nickie Deschaine as President and the selection of Lane McCrum as the 2022-2023 Vice President.

For more information on FFA and on establishing a Maine FFA chapter, please contact: Doug Robertson, FFA State Advisor in the Maine Department of Education, doug.robertson@maine.gov 207-624-6744.

MEDIA RELEASE: New Career Exploration Resource for Students Launches

The Maine Department of Labor (DOL) and Maine Department of Education (DOE) have launched a new student career discovery dashboard that presents data on in-demand jobs and wages in a manner that is accessible to students in grades 6-12.

Students can explore these data in a variety of ways, such as by geographic region, career clusters of occupations with similar features, and the typical educational requirement of the career. Students can find information about the role of each career cluster in Maine’s economy with a specific data point, like how many jobs there are today, what Maine workers earn in the career, and how many job openings are projected in the next ten years.

“It is exciting to see the Maine Departments of Labor and Education collaborate to bring the Center for Workforce Research and Information website online,” Maine Legislature Representative Paul Stearns said.  “The site features a wonderful exploration tool to give students, parents and educators the information that they need to make sound, data driven career decisions.”

MDOL’s Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI) collaborated with the Maine Department of Education and a group of Maine educators in the design of the student-friendly dashboard. The dashboard includes a video for help navigating the webpage and an introductory guide for counselors, teachers, and students with an overview of available data on jobs and wages in Maine.

“It is never too early to explore your career options and interests,” Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said. “This new tool gives students and their teachers a user-friendly way to look at potential careers, which jobs are currently in-demand, and what steps they can take to foster the skills they would need to reach their goals.”

“Career exploration tools like this help students see what kinds of careers match their passions and interests, learn valuable insights and information about possible careers, and plan for their futures,” Education Commissioner Pender Makin said. “We’re excited to offer this interactive dashboard to students and teachers and to see the creative ways they utilize this data in their classrooms.”

The dashboard can be interacted with on the Maine Department of Labor’s Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI) website: https://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/student_portal/

The Center for Workforce Research and Information produces data on jobs and wages in Maine, a ten-year job outlook, and a range of other data products pertaining to Maine’s economy and labor market. The student friendly resource has been designed to complement existing online resources such as Get My Future and My Next Move, available to help students find careers that align to their aspirations, interest, and personality.

The 2020 Maine Learning Results Life and Career Ready standards were designed to support the development of key elements of career readiness with career awareness expectations for students in grades K-5 and career exploration and planning expectations for students in grades 6-12.

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Contacts for Educators/Schools for More Information:
For more information about the CWRI student dashboard, contact Mark McInerney, Director of the Maine Department of Labor’s Center for Workforce Research and Information, at mark.mcinerney@maine.gov.

For more information about learning experiences that support students’ career exploration, contact Rick Wilson, Maine Department of Education, Career Exploration Specialist at rick.wilson@maine.gov.

For more information about the integration of the Maine Learning Results Life and Career Standards into the design of learning experiences for students, contact Jason Anderson, Interdisciplinary Instruction Team Coordinator at jason.anderson@maine.gov.

South Portland Educator Honored with Excellence in Extended Learning Opportunities Award

The Community Coordinator’s Collaborative (C3) recently named the recipient of Maine’s first annual Excellence in Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs) Programming Award during its end-of-year celebration.

The award was given to Sheree Inman, the Cooperative Work Coordinator at South Portland High School. Sheree was selected for her outstanding commitment to student-centered practices, her understanding the necessity of equitable and accessible options, and her ability to showcase the importance of relationship-driven partnerships and interactions in her work.

ELOs are hands-on, credit or credential bearing experiences outside of the traditional classroom with a community-based career exploration component. They frequently take the form of internships, work-based learning, or a series of job shadows connected to academic learning standards. These valuable learning opportunities are becoming available in more Maine schools each year, and C3 developed the award alongside these programs to highlight the quality work being done by those in the field.

The C3 group collectively includes staff from more than 50 educational institutions across the state and is responsible for spearheading the statewide Virtual Career Fair, a widely successful virtual option for students to explore careers when in-person options became unavailable to them.

The recent statewide virtual event is one of the key factors in Sheree’s nomination for the 2021-2022 Excellence in ELO Programming Award. The 2-day, virtual event included community support from more than 110 businesses offering career presentations, 2500 registrations and approximately 10,000 staff and students participating from more than 50 schools.

“Due to her ELO work, collaboration with MaineC3 and work with the virtual career fair, she has been a huge asset to not only her own district but many teachers, programs and students across the state,” said someone who nominated Sheree for the award.

Sheree Inman is the Cooperative Work Coordinator at South Portland High School. She has been in this role for 3 years and an educator for 21 years. Please join us in congratulating Sheree in this well-deserved award!

Thomas College Hosts First-ever ‘Educators Rising’ Conference in Maine; Two Students Named Preservice Teachers of the Year

Eighty-three students enrolled in teacher preparation courses in 14 colleges, high schools, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) schools across Maine gathered at Thomas College last month for Maine’s first-ever Educators Rising Conference!

The conference was planned primarily by Thomas students who are part of Maine’s first Educators Rising Chapter. A national, community-based movement, Educators Rising is an organization with a presence in all 50 states that seeks to cultivate a new generation of highly skilled educators by guiding young people on a path from high school to college and into their teaching careers. Educators Rising provides “Grow Your Own” programming through Educators Rising curriculum, standards, micro-credentials, chapters, conferences and other activities.

The Thomas Educators Rising Chapter Chair, Abby Bolvin, opened the conference by welcoming her fellow pre-service peers to the conference, and reviewed logistical details, including room locations, photo tips, and conference hashtag #EdRising22.

Abby Bolvin and another student from the Thomas Educators Rising Chapter

Students from the Educators Rising Chapter at Thomas College

Dr. Monte Selby, principal at Vinalhaven School and a talented musician, engaged the aspiring educators with an entertaining musical keynote address that stressed the importance of building strong relationships with students, and some tips on how to forge authentic, trusting connections. After the keynote, students chose from a wide variety of breakout sessions to attend. The session topics were selected by the Educators Rising Chapter students.

Dr. Monte Selby

Patti Forster, 2021 Knox County Teacher of the Year and Camden HS teacher

Zach Longyear, Maine Principal

Sue Caron and Amy Tucker leading a session

Mike Muir leading a session

Lindsay Mahoney (2021 Kennebec County Teacher of the Year) and Erin LaPlante leading a session

Teachers from the Maine Teacher of the Year Program

Bolvin explained that having the option to be part of the conference planning was a significant learning experience for her and her fellow Educator Rising Chapter members. They initially came up with a list of 50 session topics that they wanted to learn more about, and eventually narrowed it down to the topics on the program, which included classroom management, talking about controversial topics, what to expect in your first year of teaching, assessments, innovative math practices, and more.

During a delicious lunch catered by Thomas College, the students heard from Pamela Thompson, Professor and Chair of Thomas’ Education Department, and the 2022 Maine Teacher of the Year Kelsey Stoyanova. Thompson stressed the importance and impact of teachers, and Stoyanova shared, “we are not just teaching how to read to understand and write to show understanding, we are engaging learners to be global citizens—to offer them a glimpse of what it looks like to own their education, their futures, their voice, and do something with it.”

Tammy Ranger, 2017 Maine Teacher of the Year and the Director of Workforce Development and Innovative Pathways at the Maine Department of Education presented Maine’s first “Preservice Teacher of the Year” awards. Earlier this year, all Maine preservice teachers were were invited to apply for the award. The top three preservice teachers were selected from a pool of over 20 applications from students in teacher preparation programs throughout Maine. “The future of the education profession in Maine certainly looks bright” said Ranger, commenting on the passion, creativity and commitment demonstrated in the preservice teachers’ application packets.

Kelsey Stoyanova, Maine 2022 Teacher of the Year

Pamela Thompson, Professor and Chair of Thomas’ Education Department

Tammy Ranger (Maine DOE) and Ed Cervone (Thomas)

Preservice award winners: (L to R) Chelsea Whiting-Puckett (Bowdoin ’22), Mohamed Kilani (Bowdoin ’21) and Ivy Robinson (University of Maine Machias ‘22)

Students Mohamed Kilani (Bowdoin ’21) and Ivy Robinson (University of Maine Machias ‘22) were named Preservice Teachers of the Year, and Chelsea Whiting-Puckett (Bowdoin ’22) was named a runner up. The selection committee, made up of Maine State and County Teachers of the Year, said the following about these promising teachers:

“Kilani’s work with anti-racism, bridging intercultural relationships, and restorative practices is remarkable. All students (and colleagues) will benefit from the classroom culture he creates.”

Ivy is a voracious learner—soaking up wisdom and practices from every teacher she works with. Her willingness to learn and improve her practice will only make her a better teacher year after year.

Chelsey’s robust and honest English and social studies classes reflect her commitment to inclusion, representation, and equitable learning environments for all students.

As part of being named Preservice Teacher of the Year, both Kilani and Robinson were awarded $1,000 each to help jumpstart setting up their classroom, and runner up Whiting-Puckett was awarded $200.

Special thanks to the Peter and Paula Lunder School of Education at Thomas College, the Maine Association for Middle Level Educators (MAMLE), Educate Maine, UNUM, and representatives from the Maine Department of Education for making this event possible.

To learn more about Educators Rising, visit the national website or reach out to Tamara Ranger (tamara.ranger@maine.gov) at the Maine Department of Education.

Seeking Proposals for Statewide Expansion of Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Programming

RFA# 202204057 – Statewide Expansion of Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) Programming

The State of Maine is seeking proposals from public education institutions and community-based organizations to adopt and/or expand Extended Learning Opportunities programs for youth ages 16-21 in Maine.

A copy of the RFA, as well as the Question & Answer Summary and all other related documents to this RFA, can be obtained at the following website: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/grants

Proposals must be submitted to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, via e-mail, at: Proposals@maine.gov. Proposal submissions must be received no later than 11:59 p.m., local time, on Thursday, May 12. Proposals will be opened the following business day. Proposals not submitted to the Division of Procurement Services’ aforementioned e-mail address by the aforementioned deadline will not be considered for contract award.

Governor Mills Announces New Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan Initiative to Strengthen Maine’s Healthcare Workforce

Governor Janet Mills today announced the launch of Healthcare Training for ME, an initiative of her Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to strengthen Maine’s healthcare workforce by expanding availability of free and low-cost career training to help healthcare workers advance their careers, support workforce training needs of healthcare employers, and attract new workers to fast-growing fields.

Through the new Healthcare Training for ME website, individuals and employers can connect with training from employers and education partners, such as adult education programs, community colleges, and the university system. Individuals and employers may then apply to receive tuition assistance to enroll in training programs, or offer training to their employees, at little or no cost.

The initiative is a partnership of the Maine Department of Labor, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Department of Education, Maine Community College System, and the University of Maine System. It is supported by $21 million from the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, which includes $8.5 million allocated to DOL and $12.5 million allocated to the Maine Community College System for workforce training.

“The health care sector is one of Maine’s largest employers, putting thousands of Maine people to work in good-paying jobs protecting the health of Maine people. But for a long time now, health care facilities across the state have had to grapple with a shortage of workers and the pandemic has only made the problem worse,” said Governor Mills. “These new training programs will make it easier and more affordable for people, especially young people, to pursue careers in health care and to move up the career ladder into higher-paying jobs, which supports our health care employers and strengthens our health care workforce in the long-run.”

“The Maine Department of Labor is committed to connecting the people of our state to high-wage, in-demand jobs. This new partnership and centralized website will be a crucial resource for healthcare employers and employees looking to advance their and their workforce’s skills,” said Laura Fortman, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor. “Healthcare training opportunities can now be found in one easy to navigate place, and healthcare workers can potentially access career-advancing training with little to no cost to them or their employer.”

“The health of Maine people and the health of our economy depend on having a strong, high-quality health care system,” said Jeanne Lambrew, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. “The cornerstone of our health care system is the skilled professionals whose knowledge, training, and compassion keep Maine people healthy. The Healthcare Training for ME program will attract more people to these valuable professions and help them advance in their careers, a central goal of Governor Mills’ strategy to strengthen Maine’s health care workforce now and into the future.”

“We are proud to partner in this effort to provide additional pathways for those who want to pursue careers as healthcare professionals. Maine’s adult education programs have years of experience in offering industry-recognized, credential bearing trainings and opportunities to jumpstart careers in the healthcare workforce,” said Pender Makin, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education. “Healthcare Training for ME helps streamline access to these trainings and opportunities while expanding collaboration with employers and higher education programs to provide more advanced training and employment opportunities.” By working directly with health care employers across fields such as long-term care, emergency services, hospitals, behavioral health, and dental, Healthcare Training for ME aims to improve workforce training and retention rates. For current health care workers, the program offers free or low-cost pathways to new skills and advanced credentials, particularly through shorter-term training options. Prospective health care workers may access information, training, and other support to start their careers.

Starting today, health care employers with fewer than 100 employees across their system who accept MaineCare, may apply for training funds to address staff recruitment and retention issues stemming from the pandemic. All employers and individuals may start to apply for training funds on May 2, 2022.

Leaders from Maine’s health care industry, colleges, and universities welcomed the launch of Healthcare Training for ME as a vital and innovative program to help strengthen Maine’s critical health care workforce following the disruption of the pandemic. “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the value of Maine’s hospital workforce and the rewards of professions in health care,” said Steven Michaud, President of the Maine Hospital Association. “Throughout Maine, hospital staff have saved lives and provided high-quality care to their local communities. The HealthCare Training for ME program will help to attract more people to these professions and retain current workers, as part of the Mills Administration’s broader strategy to invest in and strengthen Maine’s health care workforce.”

“The two most important indicators of pandemic recovery in Maine nursing homes and assisted living communities are robust staffing and occupancy,” said Angela Westhoff, President and CEO of the Maine Health Care Association. “COVID-19 continues to put strain on these connected factors and our members remain concerned about staff burnout, turnover, and a mass departure from caregiving altogether. MHCA is pleased to partner with the Administration on tangible recruitment and retention solutions, like Healthcare Training for ME, that will encourage, incentivize, and cultivate the next generation of Maine’s health care professionals.”

“As the largest producer of the state’s professional healthcare workforce, the University of Maine System looks forward to this partnership,” said Dannel Malloy, Chancellor of the University of Maine System. “The new Healthcare Training for ME initiative will support more Mainers pursuing good-paying jobs caring for their community through high-quality healthcare education and training that improve their own social mobility and health outcomes in rural Maine.”

“The short-term health care programs at Maine’s community colleges have been designed in partnership with medical partners across the state, ensuring that learners get exactly the skills needed for today’s workplace. Not only do we have excellent nursing and other 2-year programs, but we’re using the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan funds to greatly expand our short-term health care training courses,” said Dan Belyea, Chief Workforce Development Officer at the Maine Community College System. “The Healthcare Training for ME program illustrates the response needed to deliver a skilled workforce to high-demand health care positions, and the need to act quickly and collaboratively. Our short-term training embraces real-time opportunities and the accelerated track in which learners can achieve a credential of value and enter into the workforce in a matter of months.”

“These last few years have been truly unprecedented in the growth and complexity of the need within the behavioral health realm. Clinicians and staff have had to work long hours and carry heavy loads all across Maine,” said Malory Shaughnessy, Executive Director of the Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services.“Alliance members are encouraged by the Mills Administration developing and advancing the new workforce initiatives in the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan. Looking forward, we have hope that these new Healthcare Training for ME resources for providers and staff will help with current needs as well as address our longstanding workforce shortages. We are excited to collaborate with the administration on this and their broader health care workforce efforts.”

Healthcare Training for ME is part of a series of initiatives from Governor Mills’ Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan to invest in the state’s health care workforce. Upcoming programs include scholarships and student loan relief for individuals in health care professions; new recruitment efforts to encourage young people to enter careers in health care; and the creation of health care career navigators to help people interested in health care fields determine the right career path for them.

The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is the Governor’s plan, approved by the Legislature, to invest nearly $1 billion in Federal American Rescue Plan funds to improve the lives of Maine people and families, help businesses, create good-paying jobs, and build an economy poised for future prosperity.

It draws heavily on recommendations from the Governor’s Economic Recovery Committee and the State’s 10-Year Economic Development Strategy, transforming them into real action to improve the lives of Maine people and strengthen the economy.

For more about Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, visit maine.gov/jobsplan.

From Hannaford to NASA, 2nd Annual Virtual Career Fair Draws in Students from Across Maine to Explore Diverse Career Options

The 2nd annual Virtual Career Fair took place on March 22nd drawing close to 10,000 students from schools across Maine for live sessions including 130 presentations focused on diverse career options.

Hosted by Maine’s Community Coordinators Collaborative (C3), a Maine organization of educators working to support students with career exploration, the event was a collaborative effort between the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and ACTEM (Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine).

This is the second time that C3 has hosted a successful state-wide virtual career fair that is accessible to schools and students throughout the state.

“The virtual career fair has allowed us to expand access and to expose students to the many diverse professions in Maine,” said Sheree Inman, co-chair of the ME Virtual Career Fair.

This year’s event spanned the course of a week and featured keynote messages from Commissioner of Education Pender Makin, Mark McInerney of the Center for Workforce Research and Information, Cary Olson Cartwright, Unum’s Assistant Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, and David Herring, Executive Director of the Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment, in addition a vast array of businesses and organizations from different industries gave students the opportunity to choose to attend the sessions that interested them.

Participant feedback following the event showed that more than 80% of participants rated the quality of the career sessions a 4 or a 5 on a 5-point scale, and 76% of participants rated their overall experience as very good or excellent.

“Our students thoroughly enjoyed the career fair,” said a Middle School Educator from East Grant School. “They learned many new things. They were very engaged and very pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed themselves. We let the students choose up to 4 sessions each day and structured our assignments around their sessions. It was busy but productive and valuable.”

Some of the student participants also had the opportunity to comment on specific sessions they attended. Here is what they had to say:

“This was so interesting! I loved hearing about her [Jessica Meir, NASA] journey that got her to achieve her goal of going to space.”

“I really liked learning about Hannaford and how to get a job there.”

“Going into the medicine field has always been my dream and the presenter gave helpful tips and information about the journey out of high school to be in the medicine field.”

“I absolutely love animals and I’ve always wanted to be a vet, the presenter taught me so much in just 30 minutes.”

“They were very enthusiastic about their career [in small business/fashion] and gave us very interesting things to learn about. The overall presentation was so, so good and aesthetically pleasing! Love it!”

An enormous thank you to the Maine Virtual Career Fair Planning Committee: Sheree Inman, South Portland High School (co-chair); Justine Carlisle, Yarmouth Schools (co-chair); Dede Bennell, Freeport High School; Rick Wilson, Maine Department of Education; and Diana Doiron, Maine Department of Education.

Financial assistance and support for this successful event was made available to schools through the generous support of the Maine DOE, UNUM, Bath Iron Works and many other local businesses. For a list of businesses and logos visit https://www.mevirtualcareerfair.org/.

Learn more about C3:

The Community Coordinators Collaborative (C3) was created in 2018 and is composed of education professionals working to support students with career exploration, extended learning opportunities (ELOs), internships, and job shadows. The group was developed to share resources and provide a platform for industry associations and business organizations to discuss potential workplace opportunities for students. See a listing of C3 Members.

LRTC Student, Olivia Servidio, Chosen for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity in Nashville, TN.

Pictured: Pam Abzan the instructor of Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s Medical Science Program, left, stands with her student Olivia Servidio who has been selected for the AspirnautTM Summer Research Internship.

One of Lewiston Regional Technical Center’s very own students, Olivia Servidio, has been chosen for a spot at AspirnautTM Summer Research Internship. This internship is hands-on and a mentored laboratory experience for high school students interested in a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).

Participants reside for six weeks on the campus of Vanderbilt University and conduct biomedical research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. Interns are paid a stipend for the time they work in the lab, provided room and board, and given the opportunity to interact with university faculty and administrators.

Students in the past have been involved in research ranging from understanding diabetic kidney disease and breast cancer to designing microfluidic devices with engineers.

Only 20-25 students, from all over the country who apply, are accepted into the program. Students applying need to achieve excellent test scores in science and math and are committed to pursuing a career in the STEM field. The right candidate needs to be curious, resourceful, highly engaged, and resilient.

Olivia Servidio is a bright and driven student and was nominated by her Medical Science teacher, Pam Abzan, to participate in this internship.

UMA Hosting Major & Career Exploration for High School Students

The University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) is hosting a Major & Career Exploration Webinar Series for high school students interested in Early College. The series will take place each Wednesday during the month of April from 6-7 PM on Zoom.

Join UMA’s Office of Early College and UMA Faculty during the webinars to learn more about the following majors: Aviation, Justice Studies, Mental Health and Human Services, and Nursing.

Attendees will receive a brief overview of the featured major, degree, and certificate offerings, as well as courses students can take now as Early College students, and a summary of career opportunities post college graduation.

For more detailed information, including the Zoom link for the webinars, please visit the website uma.edu/ecwebinars. Early College is a partnership between the University of Maine System and the Maine Department of Education, supported by the Maine State Legislature.

Maine’s Statewide Career Fair Launches March 22 with NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir and Hundreds of Presenters from Across Maine

Live sessions for the second annual ME Virtual Career Fair will begin on Tuesday, March 22 and will include 130 presentations for more than 10,000 students across the state. The Community Coordinators Collaborative (C3), an organization of educators working to support students with career exploration, organized the event in partnership with the Maine Department of Education and the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM).

The event will commence on Monday with a series of pre-recorded messages from keynote speakers, including Commissioner of Education Pender Makin, Mark McInerney of the Center for Workforce Research and Information, Cary Olson Cartwright, Unum’s Assistant Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, and David Herring, Executive Director of the Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment. The fair will continue throughout the week, offering hundreds of live sessions and featuring a vast array of businesses and organizations from different industries.

“The virtual career fair has allowed us to expand access and to expose students to the many diverse professions in Maine,” said Sheree Inman, co-chair of the ME Virtual Career Fair. “We have schools from Presque Isle to Kittery participating and are excited to introduce them to the wealth of opportunities available in their home state. This year, we have more than 100 presenters including trades professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, and scientists such as Maine’s celebrated NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir. The presenters are eager to share their experience and proud of what Maine has to offer.”

“Growing up in Aroostook County, I spent countless hours outdoors. It was the natural setting of Maine that inspired me to become an explorer,” said NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir. “The landscape sparked my curiosity to learn more about the world around me. I continue to feel a strong connection to Maine and am excited to share my story and hopefully inspire other young people from the state to explore careers in science.”

“The Jackson Laboratory is one of the largest non-profit employers in Maine and is always seeking to hire people who are motivated by our biomedical mission and have an affinity for this state. Maine high school students are the perfect audience to learn more about the many different types of work we offer,” said Michael McKernan, director of government and community relations at Jackson Laboratory. “It’s critical that employers interface with students and schools as often as possible, to share information about the opportunities that exist in the state. It’s surprising how even a short interaction might change a student’s outlook or open their eyes to a new possibility. The Maine business community can’t afford to miss those opportunities”.

Financial assistance is available to schools through the generous support of Unum, Bath Iron Works, and many other local businesses.