The U.S. Department of Labor is awarding Maine nearly $400,000 to help about 60 workers laid off from boat builder The Hinckley Co. in Trenton.
A National Emergency Grant of $394,617 will provide the workers with access to job services such as career assessments, job skills training and job placement, according to a release from the DOL. The grant will go to the Maine Department of Labor and be administered by the Eastern Maine Development Corp.
A decline in orders for Hinckley’s yachts and powerboats forced the Southwest Harbor-based company to lay off about 80 workers from its Trenton plant between October 2008 and June 2009. The company announced last month, however, that it expected to begin rehiring some laid-off employees this winter, thanks to an increase in orders.
