Maine must keep connecting learning to good jobs

Laura Fortman is the commissioner of the Maine Department of Labor. Labor Day is a time to reflect on the dignity of work and remember the generations who fought to make work fairer, safer and more secure. Their efforts helped establish principles we too often take for granted today: that people who work should be treated and paid fairly, have safe workplaces and have an opportunity to build a good life. As students head back to school, we are also reminded that education is part of Labor Day's promise of opportunity. But for too long, we have treated education and work as separate paths. Go to school or go to work. That is not how people's lives unfold, and it is not what Maine's economy needs. Our workforce is aging, while artificial intelligence and other technologies continue to change the nature of work. People of all ages and backgrounds need opportunities to learn, adapt and build new skills throughout their working lives, whether they are gaining a new skill, earning a credential, changing careers or advancing in their current job. We must break down that wall and open more pathways between learning and work. Maine has already started down that path, and we are seeing what works and where we can go next. Here are a few examples. Our new Maine Career Pathways pilots bring together schools, adult and higher education, employers and partners to offer work-based learning toward postsecondary credits or credentials such as certificates in child development or radiology. The goal is simple: people should not have to choose between college and a career, and Mainers should be able to respond to changing workforce needs. The Maine Apprenticeship Program now has thousands of registered apprentices. Apprenticeships have traditionally been concentrated in the trades, but Maine is expanding them into occupations such as manufacturing, healthcare and education. Advertisement Maine was home to the first registered aquaculture apprenticeship in the country. We also have more than 80 certified pre-apprenticeship programs to build foundational skills and explore careers before taking that next step. And as one of 10 'Apprenticeship America' states, we are developing an employer-led youth apprenticeship strategy across high-demand industries. Apprenticeships work because they connect learning directly to a job. Apprentices learn while doing the work, earn while they learn, and employers help set the standards. Maine is also making other investments that connect learning to opportunity. Free community college gives recent high school graduates an affordable path to higher education. Maine's Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP) is now more flexible, helping eligible Mainers pursue not only degrees, but apprenticeships and industry credentials for high-wage, in-demand jobs. We are committed to ensuring that every Mainer can participate, learn and succeed. Through Pathways to Partnerships and Vocational Rehabilitation, Maine creates opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities to explore careers, pursue education and training and gain work experience. Creating pathways means more than putting education and work side by side. People also need support to succeed. Transportation, childcare, assistive technology and other wraparound services can make the difference between a program someone can take and one they cannot. We also cannot talk about the future of work without recognizing the role unions play. Unions have long understood that learning does not end when someone gets a job. Through apprenticeship, training and collective bargaining, unions help workers build skills, advance their careers and earn family-sustaining wages. I recently saw that connection firsthand through a pre-apprenticeship program that helped several young people transition into careers with Iron Workers Local 7, where they are building bridges and putting up steel for high-rise buildings like the Roux Institute. That first opportunity opened a door they might not otherwise have found and put them on a path to develop skills, earn a good living and build a future. This Labor Day, let's recommit to making sure every Mainer has the opportunity to learn, find a good job, advance and thrive, not just today, but throughout their working life.