Workforce Development: Workforce resources may increase from new administration
Nate Wildes is executive director at Live and Work in Maine, a private-sector initiative to raise awareness about Maine as a career destination.
Maine has done a sub-par job when it comes to presenting the quality of the full-time Maine experience, he says. He predicts the political shift in Augusta presents an opportunity to help change that culture. And that could mean increased funding and resources to address workforce issues.
“We're optimistic that the state will increase the resources available,” he says. “We don't know yet what that will look like. But Gov. [Janet] Mills and her team understand the importance of improving the state's role in workforce attraction and retention. They know employers can't wait 10 years for a long-term initiative. This is a great opportunity for a fresh start in how Maine presents itself to the world.”
Now in its third year, Live and Work in Maine was established to build a messaging toolkit for Maine employers to recruit and retain talent. Even if all Maine graduates and retrained adults stayed in Maine, Wildes says, it doesn't solve the workforce problem.
“So we also have to work on attracting more people to come here,” he says. “That's what we do – essentially raise awareness about the opportunities in Maine.”
He's optimistic about the prospects for workforce attraction and retention, through promoting success stories of people who live and work in Maine full-time.
“There's a reason people who live here, love Maine,” he says. “It can be as simple as speaking louder and prouder about what we've got and telling that story.”
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