AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage has outlined a plan to ensure that most of the money the state spends every year on job training goes to actual job training and that the training better meets work force demands.
The governor recently created a new State Workforce Investment Board that effectively replaces four local boards that were responsible for job training efforts.
Now that those training funds are centralized, LePage said, it’s easier to track how they are being used, but he said that’s only part of the picture.
“We need to bring job creators into the conversation,” he said in a statement. “Through industry partnership, they will have a say in identifying skill gaps in the work force, prioritizing training initiatives and developing defined career ladders where workers can build on prior skills and new learning to advance in their jobs.”
The governor’s plan also designates eight work force areas — instead of four — that are aligned closer with Maine’s regional chamber of commerce areas. The proposal further calls for additional performance-based standards to evaluate performance of work force programs and ensure that they are effective.
“My plan puts more funding directly into training that helps workers get better jobs and careers,” the governor said.
Fred Webber, who was picked to chair the State Workforce Investment Board, said the proposal comes at a critical time for Maine workers and employers.
“There are thousands of jobs going unfilled in Maine because of a skills mismatch in our work force,” he said. “Gov. LePage’s plan targets our training resources so that Maine people get the skills they need to be successful in the job market and Maine businesses have a talented work force that can help them be competitive in a global economy.”
LePage has targeted work force training since last October, when he was presented statistics that suggested only a small portion of federal funds sent to Maine for job training were used for that purpose. The majority of funds were tied up in administrative costs.
Maine gets money every year as part of the U.S. Workforce Investment Act and, until now, that money was distributed to four work force investment boards. Other money for job training comes from a variety of state and federal programs.
In 2010, the four work force investment boards collectively received about $5.6 million and spent only $840,000 (about 15 percent) on training and support services, according to information provided by the governor’s office. In 2009, the state received $5.3 million and spent $1.2 million (about 23 percent) on job training.
The governor also was concerned about the program’s low success rate. Information provided by the governor’s office showed that of the 2,497 program participants in 2010, only 1,102, or 44 percent, were placed in jobs. In 2009, only about 48 percent of participants were placed in jobs.
Good job Governor LePage. This is the type of thing that could really benefit both Maine workers and employers. Thank you.
Job creators? is there really such a thing Paul? We give and give to “job creators” but it just never creates jobs, what it creates is fat wallets for the few. You continue to rant about Maine workers not being skilled enough, you rave about social spending. Yet you want more kids to have access to college courses online, and then say that too much emphasis is being placed on college?
Job creators, if there is such a thing, you are the consumate BS artist, saying this and taking that, you are indeed a piece of work.
An intelligent use of educational/vocational “tracking”. Its use through the years has always been successful, matching individuals to activities within their scope of interests and capabilities. Its recent demise, due to educational malpractice is a leading cause of today’s educational failures. The only form of tracking that has been politically acceptable is for academic gifted students, i.e. honor courses, advavced placement classes, et.al. All others were forced to participate in homogeneous groups, regardless of ability level or priorities. Hopefully, the current governor will continue to reverse this trend and allow students to better track their futures and the paths chosen to pursue those futures. Ken
{according to information provided by the governor’s office.}
Enough said!
So, I am torn on this. It feels like corporate welfare. “Job Training” is not education. It is a training to give you a small specific skill set so that you can benefit one single industry. For much of our history it was the responsibility of a business to train their workers. How is it the responsibility of the state to train workers for businesses? However, on the individual scale I want people to have all the pieces of paper they need to get a good job.
I have been waiting for 3 months for training and have not got a single piece of mail from the state is this why? thanks paul I MISSED ANOTHER SEMESTER.
So what are the existing 4 ares and what are the additional ones?
Give the money directly to the industry that wants a worker trained and let them train them themselves. When I got out of the military in 1960 at the age of 22 I went to a local machine shop and applied for a job and they hired me and put me on a paid training program and a year and a half later I was a skilled machinest, Their was no going to a state employment office and taking a bunch of tests administered by a bunch of pencil pushers working for a buracuracy that’s biggest goal was just trying to make it self the wasteful size it is know. The way the state has horned into everything over the years I would know have to drive 50 miles to apply for a job in a industry that was located next door and the industry would probably never know that I applied.
The governor stopped ALL training for State Employees. He has frozen ALL promotions unless you are related or a favorite. The State has no career ladder unless you are in the State police. The State has demanded the right from Unions to dissolve the right to get a promotion regardless of seniority, work assigned, or job evaluations. They want to promote only on their “secret” standards.
This program will simply be a way to train people in something the governor’s pals want, then there will be legislation passed that demands the trainee accept minimum wage and the State give the so called job creators a stipend from the tax payer. If his mouth is moving, ………………………..
If you actually read the article you’ll see that what the Governor wants is a streamlined system that actually works. What we have now is burdened by a bunch state workers trying to justify thier own existance by spending a lot of taxpayer money with little thought to how it’s spent or if there is actually any real benefit from the program. I know of people that have actually used the program a number of times and never had any intention of working. A job training program is a good thing and should be used to train, or re-train people wanting to work.