LIMESTONE, Maine — Loring Job Corps has announced the development of a new training and employment partnership with Bath Iron Works and Southern Maine Community College.
Over the past years, Loring Job Corps has had great success in placing graduates for full-time employment in industry sectors meeting needs of employers with skilled workers. This year, the Center has added another partner with General Dynamics and BIW, said Roger Felix, business and community liaison for the center.
“Over the past months the center has diligently been working on expanding its partnership to include specific pre-training opportunities to better prepare future employees to the world of shipbuilding,” said Felix.
“The overall goal is to have Job Corps continue to provide the bridge in providing the initial education and technical training and then continue to guide the students towards further success using the many industry partners throughout Maine, a goal that has resulted in Loring being ranked as the number 1 placement center in the nation.”
All the hard work and planning is now paying off, and on Jan. 6 the Loring Job Corps Center sent six of their senior students to participate in a work-based learning and training opportunity program at the Bath Iron Works training center in Brunswick. The training, which also provides college credit, is being offered by Southern Maine Community College and has been tailored to provide a curriculum that expands on their technical training received at Job Corps and focuses on using those skills in a shipbuilding setting.
Once the training is completed, the group will go on to become full-time shipbuilders with BIW, where they will continue to learn and grow in a successful career. In addition to being offered free training and future employment, the selected students are given a no cost dorm room and receive a $500 stipend each week during the training to offset expenses. Once employed with Bath Iron Works, each of them will also receive a $3,500 relocation stipend to assist in obtaining housing.
“This partnership and opportunity is definitely a major win for our students and continues to show positive growth as we continue to train students to meet the needs of today’s workforce,” Felix said.
