Resource Fair Highlights What’s Available to Businesses

BERWICK -

the end of the decade to keep our economy strong. Preparing Maine students for success in the workforce is a key part of achieving that goal,” said Heather Johnson, Commissioner of the Department of Economic & Community Development.

“Maine Career Exploration will introduce thousands of Maine students to future employment options, giving them real world work experience and supporting our business community at the same time.”

“By expanding real-world, engaging learning opportunities with Maine employers, the Career Exploration program will help students explore career options, develop critical work and life skills, and plan for their futures,” said Pender Makin, Commissioner of the Department of Education. “These opportunities are also important for strengthening Maine’s workforce and building connections between schools and local businesses.”

“The mission of JMG is to identify students who face barriers to education, and to guide each one on to a successful path toward continued education, a meaningful career, and productive adulthood,” said Craig Larrabee, JMG President and CEO. “Our commitment is to equitably expand opportunity for students who need it most, particularly those most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With this funding, JMG will support more than 4,000 high school juniors and seniors, throughout all sixteen counties of the state, in engaging with Maine’s employers to gain meaningful workforce experience.”

The Maine Department of Education has awarded over $5.6 million to 26 school districts, schools, adult education programs, and higher education institutions to create or expand extended learning opportunities

Recently SBA New England Regional Administrator Mike Vlacich joined Falls Chamber of Commerce for a small business resource fair at Berwick Town Hall.

The event was an afternoon focused on helping small businesses find the resources they need to start, thrive and grow. The fair featured 15 business support organizations from both New Hampshire and Maine.

“I applaud the Falls Chamber of Commerce for their efforts to reach the small business community in the Falls area by bringing these small business resources together under one roof,” said Vlacich. “It is critical for small businesses to make strong local connections to start, grow and expand.”

“The Falls Chamber of Commerce put the Business Resource Fair on to help businesses in both Maine and New Hampshire find resources to start, thrive, and grow here,” said Emerson Doiron, executive director of the Falls Chamber. “Our community is getting stronger and growing every day for students, which include paid work experiences.

Examples of these efforts include:

Providing paid work experiences to youth in northern and eastern Maine. Career Exploration funds will be used to strengthen and expand existing workforce and training programs through new employer partnerships, reaching students who do not qualify for existing programs, and offering support services to address transportation and technology needs.

Exploring different career paths and learning basic jobseeking skills and financial literacy. Following these classes, students will participate in 10- with new businesses and we are working to get them the resources they need.”

Featured organizations at the business resource fair included: Small Business Administration (Maine and New Hampshire district offices); Small Business Development Center (ME and NH); Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England; Seacoast SCORE; Veteran Entrepreneurial Training and Resource Network; York County Career Center; Southern Maine Finance Agency; Maine Depart- week internships with local businesses.

Developing workforce opportunities for students in grades 9-12. These include job shadowing, career immersions with employers, credit-earning experiences, career camps during school breaks, and local internship programs.

Funding from the Career Exploration Program will support expansion of extended learning opportunities, paid work experiences, and coaching ment of Economic and Community Development; New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs; Maine International Trade Center; Procurement Technical Assistance Center (ME and NH); Finance Authority of Maine. now offered by Jobs for Maine Graduates for rising juniors and seniors at 90 high schools in Maine.

The Falls Chamber of Commerce is a professional association that serves the businesses of New Hampshire and southern Maine. For more information, visit www.thefallschamber.com and www.sba. gov/local-assistance.

The Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan is investing 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.

For more information, visit www.maine.gov/jobsplan.