By Theron Larkins
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The Northern Maine Development Commission held their monthly executive board of directors meeting on Sept. 11 in the NMDC board room to discuss a number of items on the agenda. Getting the meeting underway was Director of Economic and Workforce Development Ryan Pelletier, who proposed a Job Driven National Emergency Grant in the approximate amount of $1.9 million that will be divided up into two local areas.
The grant Pelletier proposed was accepted as what is actually two grants — Local Area 1 will receive funds in the amount of $943,436 and Local Area 2 will receive $943,435 — resulting in a total amount of $1,886,871.
“Local Area 1 includes both Aroostook and Washington counties and Local Area 2 consists of Penobscot, Piscataquis and Hancock counties,” said Pelletier. “NMDC serves as the fiscal agent for both of these local areas.“
In total, Maine was awarded $4.85 million, half of which will be designated to the two previously mentioned areas. The funding for both areas will be used to build and expand upon successful industry partnerships and to establish a customized approach to training, with the goal of reconnecting long-term unemployed and new Mainers to the state’s workforce, according to Pelletier.
“It is anticipated that there will be significant employer engagement with specific employers who have current unfilled openings,” said Pelletier. “The Department of Labor (DOL) is partnering with Local Workforce Investment Boards (LWIB) to facilitate customized training approaches that address immediate employer needs and the needs of the long-term unemployed.”
Pelletier announced during his proposal that the DOL will be subcontracting about half of the $4.85 million to the LWIBs, and since Pelletier’s LWIB is the fiscal agent for two of the areas being awarded the grant they ended up receiving two contracts, which results in about half of the $4.85 million.
“The funds being used to train long-term unemployed individuals is defined by individuals who have been out of work for 27 weeks or more,” Pelletier added. “There will be a lot of emphasis on funding going directly to employers, who currently have job openings they cannot fill, and much of the focus for this money will go to help with training employees while they’re on the job. If an employer has a need to provide some type of specialized training to a group of employers, an institution like the community college would work with them to develop very specific short-term training, and our funding would be used to pay the college for that training.”
This is no doubt good news for businesses and employers throughout the Aroostook County area, as the main focus of the grant will be geared toward bolstering The region’s economy and the entire workforce of all those counties involved.
“Businesses will be able to access on the job training and customized training,” said Pelletier. “Individuals who will benefit from these training funds will receive assessment, counseling, reemployment readiness (soft skill training) apprenticeship, wrap-around services and multi-tiered career academies. The approach will involve substantial employer engagement with specific employers with current, unfilled openings.”
Companies and industries that have reported a demand for entry-and mid-level skilled workers will be a major focus of the grants awarded to Local Areas 1 and 2, and workforce academies will be compromised of tiered levels of industry-specific training, beginning with basic skill blocks. That initial tier will teach customer service, professionalism, safety training, basic computer skills, basics of industry terminology, team building and communication skills, as well as exploring career pathways within the industry, Pelletier added.
“The academy training will then progress in tiers to other training options including customized training opportunities specific to an individual employer’s identified needs, industry-recognized certificate or credential training for occupations in high demand within an industry sector and company provided on-the-job training or registered apprenticeship,” said Pelletier. “Workforce academies in areas of Maine where the majority of new Mainers reside will be expanded to include modules specifically designed to meet their specific educational needs.”
As far as how the grant will be distributed or to whom it will be awarded to, that decision is still being worked out, according to Pelletier, who said the process has just recently began and will include an extensive amount of communication with the public, especially those who are involved in local businesses or industries.
“That part of the grant process is still being worked out, but ultimately it will be decided through some sort of application process,” said Pelletier. “I will be doing an extensive amount of publicity and outreach to inform the business community along the way.”
The proposal to accept both grants for Local Areas 1 and 2 were voted on and approved unanimously by the NMDC executive board of directors.
Pelletier will serve as the primary point of contact in both local areas during the duration of the project. FMI on the Job Driven National Emergency Grant contact Pelletier at 498-8736 or by email at rpelletier@nmdc.org.
