MAINE, USA — In less than a decade, the state's forest products sector is expecting to see a workforce drop-off as 26 percent of its current workforce will reach retirement age by 2030, according to a 2021 FOR/Maine Workforce Strategy Report.
The Maine Development Foundation, which staffs FOR/Maine, is partnering with the Washington County nonprofit Sunrise County Economic Council to develop a course to expose Mainers to opportunities and jobs in the industry.
The course will be a virtual 10-week class to introduce students to forestry and all of its opportunities. The class will be open to high school students and adult learners around Maine. The pilot program will start in October and enroll 70 learners. The class will also run in the spring of 2024.
One of the course developers, Denise Cilley, said it will "provide a full picture of the industry where we've been where we are and where we're going."
Each week there will be an industry expert to teach the content for each lesson, Cilley said.
"It really does meet students where they are. They really can take it at a pace that works for them and in an environment that works for them," Erica Watson, Maine Development Foundation's Program Director, said.
Watson said stipends will be available for students who need some assistance in order to remove barriers to accessing the class. Cilley said up to $500 could be given to an individual which could be used for broadband or even to help pay to travel somewhere with internet access.
"While there's not one action or one program that's going to solve an industry challenge, I really see this program filling a need to build awareness, connect people to job opportunities and innovation opportunities, and maybe enter a career they never would have thought of," Cilley said.