CMCC receives $3.3M to expand its health care training program

File photo / Courtesy, Central Maine Community College Central Maine Community College in Auburn is part of the Maine Community College System.

Write a Comment

By Alexis Wells

Central Maine Community College in Auburn has received $3.3 million in congressionally directed spending to expand the school's health care training program.

CMCC says its Healthcare Training Expansion Project will allow the college to enroll more students and create programming to help fill the state’s shortages of health care workers.

The college’s nursing education and health care and wellness training spaces are already at full capacity. The award will be used to build and equip a 7,200-square-foot addition to Kirk Hall, expected to train an additional 100 nurses each year.

“Having the ability to grow health care programs will make it possible for more Mainers to enroll and benefit,” said Betsy Libby, president of Central Maine Community College. “Health care jobs are in high demand, high-wage jobs where earners contribute to Maine’s economy. CMCC has a long history of educating students who stay in Maine and this project will increase those numbers. “

The funds would also be used to expand programs, update science labs, improve the exercise science and physical fitness specialist programs, and enhance short-term workforce training programs in areas such as medical assistant, certified nurse assistant, basic life support certification and phlebotomy.

Nicholas Hamel, vice president and dean of students at CMCC, told Mainebiz that construction is expected to start early next year, with an opening date of fall 2026.

“This summer or fall, we will work to receive the funding and design the space,” said Hamel. "Once that is completed, a request for bids will go out, and a contractor to construct the space will be selected. We anticipate construction starting when the ground thaws early next year. A construction project of this size would take 12-18 months to complete.”

CMCC ranked No. 10 among Maine’s largest colleges and universities in the 2024 Mainebiz Book of Lists, based on the school's full-time undergraduate enrollment in fall 2023 of 1,652.