LEWISTON — Eastern Maine Development Corporation awarded Lewiston Adult Education its 2023 Community Partner award during its annual meeting held Dec. 7.

Patti Saarinen, director of Workforce Services for EMDC, presented Lewiston Adult Education with the award, which recognizes a person or organization that has made an impact in the community.

“Not only do they provide excellent academic and occupational skills training, but they were one of the first adult education programs to embrace workforce services. It was in collaboration with them that we developed our first cohort training to meet the needs of five construction companies. With their input and expertise, we created a model for employer-driven training that we’re still using today offering students opportunities in fields such as culinary, office skills and health care,” Saarinen said, according to a news release from Mike Reagan with Lewiston Adult Education.

Lewiston Adult Education also was a leader in designing programs and work readiness training for new Mainers, she said. One example was the Healthcare Pathways program, in which students begin in a foundations class learning the terminology related to health care professions before learning specific job skills. The model helped Lewiston receive one of the state’s 14 apprenticeship grants.

EMDC is a nonprofit organization that helps to develop public-private partnerships to encourage economic growth. Lewiston Adult Education provides academic programs from basic skills to preparing for college, digital skill building and workforce training.

Programs are open to all adults from Lewiston and the surrounding area.

 

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