Maine legislators to consider $5 million job training bill

AUGUSTA — A legislative committee has supported a measure to support job training programs across Maine.

The bill introduced by Democratic House Speaker Mark Eves would provide $5 million over five years to create job-training programs at community colleges through public-private partnerships. The measure seeks to increase job training in high-demand fields, like forest products and health care. The bill is being modeled after a public-private partnership between Pratt & Whitney and York County Community College.

The Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee voted 7-6 in favor of the bill on Thursday. It now heads to the House and Senate for votes.

Eves said in a statement that by investing in job training for workers and students, Maine is “putting a down payment on growing the middle class.”