AUGUSTA, Maine — The University of Maine System will launch the Maine Engineering Pathways Program in the fall of 2018 to help more students prepare for a Maine-based career in engineering and to build workforce capacity in response to a critical state shortage.
The program is designed to prepare students to graduate in four years from an accredited engineering program, ready to join the Maine workforce.
Engineering employment has grown 25 percent over the last decade and Maine firms annually seek to fill more than 1,400 engineering vacancies. These positions are critical to maintaining the safety of Maine’s roads and bridges, sustaining the state’s utility infrastructure and leading Maine’s manufacturing sectors.
Maine’s public universities are working to double engineering education capacity to help meet a statewide workforce need of more than 3,000 new engineers over the next decade. The projected workforce shortage is driven by growing industry demand and an anticipated wave of retirements among existing engineers.
Students will begin their first year at the Bangor and Augusta campuses of the University of Maine at Augusta, the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine at Machias, or University of Maine at Presque Isle, and then complete their engineering degree at the University of Maine or the University of Southern Maine. They can also access the program at University College locations in Bath/Brunswick, East Millinocket, Ellsworth, Houlton, Norway/South Paris, Rockland, Rumford and Saco.
The introductory course will explore engineering as a career and foundational courses in mathematics and science. Following the successful completion of about 35 credits, students may transfer to either the University of Maine or the University of Southern Maine to complete a work-ready degree in engineering in just three additional years.
USM and UM are working with business and industry to increase the number of job-ready engineers the University of Maine System graduates. The campuses will work closely with Maine employers to prepare students for opportunities in the state’s engineering workforce and to align curriculum to employer needs. This collaboration includes experiential learning, guest lectures by Maine industry leaders, internships, job fairs and assistance with recruiting.
More than 150 employers will participate this year in engineering job fairs at UMaine or USM, or at the Maine Engineering Promotion Council’s annual expo in February at UMaine.
Interested students and parents can learn more by visiting the Maine Engineering Pathways Program website or by contacting the admissions offices of the participating institutions.
