Industry Partnership Program

Industry Partnerships are regional partnerships of leaders from businesses, government agencies, educational providers, labor unions, non-profits, community organizations, and other entities engaged in the specific, targeted industry. Their purpose is to work collaboratively to address workforce needs, as well as other issues that support growth in the industry, such as funding, innovation, regulation, and continuing education.

The Maine Industry Partnership Program was launched by the State Workforce Development Board (SWDB) to meet the needs of those industries disrupted by COVID-19. The $3.7 million program is part of the Governor’s workforce strategy and a key priority to Maine’s long-term economic growth. The program funded six prototype Industry Partnership initiatives in its first round, which include a combination of businesses, industry associations, education and training providers, and community-based organizations. The Industry Partnership Program’s aim is to build an effective ecosystem of partnerships across the state, focused on the growth of economic opportunity, expansion of strategic industries, and recruitment, retention, and career advancement of workers in meaningful, high-wage careers.

Industry partnerships are proven vehicles for economic development within a defined region and are excellent drivers of innovation and workforce development. They provide participants with a forum for tackling shared issues, such as workforce shortages and infrastructure needs, and the participants determine the priorities for each partnership. Most importantly, these partnerships offer a formal, outcome driven opportunity for private businesses to collaborate with public partners and educators in an intentional manner to maximize positive impacts and avoid engagement burnout.

Through the program, the State Workforce Development Board will support sector-based approaches to identify each industry’s most important workforce needs and work with training and educational organizations to provide training opportunities that develop skilled workers who can meet those needs, creating strong pipelines of workers through structured career pathways. The work is meant to align with goals from the Building Maine’s Comprehensive Workforce and Talent Strategy which target the state’s workforce resources to achieve the goals outlined in Maine’s 10-year economic development strategy.

News Releases

Maine’s Industry Partnership Initiatives

Sector Partnerships Training Series