Commentary: Why the business community must lead the movement for education reform
For years, Maine businesses have been sounding the alarm about workforce shortages. The jobs are here. The pay is good. The demand is real.
And yet, our classrooms remain largely disconnected from the opportunities waiting just beyond their doors. Students graduate with diplomas but without a clear sense of what’s next — or how what they’ve learned applies in the real world.
Here's the truth: If we want a stronger workforce tomorrow, we can't keep waiting for someone else to fix the system. It's on us — employers, industry leaders and business owners — to step forward and demand change.
The stakes couldn’t be higher
Maine’s economy depends on a steady pipeline of talent that is ready, willing, and able to contribute. But how can students aspire to careers they've never heard of? How can they develop skills they’ve never had a chance to practice? How can we expect our schools to prepare them if we, as employers, aren’t actively involved in the process?
We need an education system that reflects the needs of our economy and the realities of modern work. That means embedding real-world learning into the curriculum and providing students with opportunities to engage directly with industries in their own communities.
Imagine a system where internships, apprenticeships and job shadows aren't just add-ons, but core components of a student's experience. Where learning is flexible, happening not only in classrooms but on job sites, in labs and alongside mentors who do the work every day. Where students graduate not just with knowledge, but with relevant experience — and a clear pathway into a high-wage, high-demand career right here in Maine.
And imagine a system where businesses like yours play an active, ongoing role. Not just by offering occasional tours or guest lectures, but by helping shape the curriculum, inform skill development and open doors for hands-on learning.
The opportunity is here
There is growing momentum to rethink education as we know it. Big ideas are being discussed. Bold reforms are on the table. But none of it happens without the business community stepping up and saying, “We’re ready to lead.”
The fact is, workforce challenges aren't going away on their own. If we want a future where our companies have the talent we need to grow and thrive, we have to build that future — starting now, and starting with our schools.
That means showing up. Meeting with local educators. Talking to policymakers. Sharing what your industry needs. Offering your workplace as a learning environment. Investing time and resources into solutions that benefit us all.
We cannot afford to be passive observers while others decide the future of Maine’s workforce. This is our moment to lean in, get involved and advocate for an education system that works—for students, for employers and for the future of our state.
The question is no longer IF change is coming. The question is whether we’re willing to be part of it.
Mainebiz web partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments