BELFAST — Through a new partnership with the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce, funding for professional development programs taken at the University of Maine Hutchinson Center is available, up to $1,200 per worker through December, with additional funding in subsequent years. Visit hutchinsoncenter.umaine/edu to learn more.
In order to be eligible for this funding, employers need to become Compact Members. All Maine companies qualify; there are additional resources available to small- and mid-sized companies. The Maine Workforce Development Compact is comprised of Maine businesses, associations, nonprofits and municipalities committed to working together to solve Maine’s workforce challenges. To date, over 400 Maine employers have become compact members. To be eligible for training, workers must be 18 or older, a Maine resident, and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
The UMaine Hutchinson Center offers a wide variety of professional development programs, including in-person and online offerings. This fall, Peggy Smith will be teaching the popular online program, “Helping to Calm Strong Emotions with Resonant Language.” Tom Dowd will be teaching several programs, including his in-person offerings on career transformation and public speaking, and online offerings on time management and virtual presentations. Terry Porter, associate professor emerita from the Maine Business School, is offering two in-person programs: critical thinking and business sustainability strategies. Restorative Justice Project Maine is offering several Restorative Practices program sessions.
More information about all upcoming professional development opportunities through the UMaine Hutchinson Center is available online. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for all programs; learn more here.
The Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce has access to $60 million in grant funding. With its business partners, including the UMaine Hutchinson Center, it is poised to serve 24,000 Mainers with short-term training by 2025. This includes financial support of up to $1,200 per worker through December and a $1,200 match in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
For information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Abby Spooner at um.fhc.pd@maine.edu or 207-338-8002. For more information about upcoming professional development programs or to register, go online. Early registration is recommended as spots are limited.