What’s Being Done for Workforce Development in Maine?
Posted on August 25, 2026 | News
By Jennifer Rooks, Jonathan P. Smith
Published August 25, 2026 at 7:00 AM EDT
Listen • 50:36
From health care to construction, manufacturing to tourism, Maine industries face critical workforce shortages. It’s a perennial issue, how to best train people and keep them in Maine once they are ready to start their careers. We’ll learn what the state and higher education institutions are doing to address the workforce crisis.
Panelists:
Dr. Jenifer Cushman, president, University of Maine Augusta
Laura Fortman, commissioner, Maine Department of Labor
Daniel Belyea, chief workforce development officer, Maine’s Community Colleges
VIP Callers:
Major General Diane L. Dunn, Maine Adjutant General of the Maine National Guard; commissioner, Maine Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management
Dan Cowan, recent graduate, aviation maintenance technician program, University of Maine Augusta; previous graduate, uncrewed aircraft systems program (drones)
Lila Pierce, dental hygiene student