AUGUSTA – About 300 older workers in Maine will benefit from grants announced last week by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Totalling more than $2 million, the grants help low-income residents over 55 who want or need to go back to work, but who lack skills to enter the job market.

The grants come from the Senior Community Service Employment Program.

Here’s how the program works: Non-profit agencies such as Catholic Charities or Seniors Plus agree to train workers in part-time positions, while the government pays the wages.

The non-profits then hire successful trainees or refer them for other jobs.

“This is a very important program,” said James McGrath, program coordinator for the state. “It’s a nice amount of money that comes into the state every year.”

The largest grant for older workers in Maine, $2.07 million, will be overseen by the National Council on Aging. It will support about 290 jobs throughout the state, including dozens in western Maine. The grants were awarded on a competitive basis.

“This administration is committed to helping older workers achieve self-sufficiency,” Labor Secretary Elaine Chao stated in a release. “The programs supported by these grants help workers with few employment prospects gain the experience they need to move into better-paying, unsubsidized jobs.”

Emily Stover DeRocco, another top labor official, added: “As baby boomers age and the pool of older workers continues to grow, it is critical that economically disadvantaged workers are not left behind.”

A second grant of $42,918 went to the U.S. Forest Service. Through a program run by the White Mountain Forest, older employees work at visitor centers, perform facility maintenance and other jobs within the forest’s Androscoggin District.

Past participants have gone on to jobs at local inns and greenhouses, among other spots.

“We’re pretty happy with still being a part of it,” said George Pozzuto, ranger for the district, which covers an area from Bethel to Lovell. “The purpose is to give some of these folks skills that they are interested in.”

The state of Maine receives a separate, annual grant within the SCSEP program, at $549,000 this year. It pays for another 77 part-time jobs statewide.

Eligible participants are over 55, with a family income less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level.

If you are interested in participating, as a worker or employer, contact James McGrath, at the Maine Bureau of Elder and Adult Services, in Augusta at (800) 262-2232.

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