AGC Maine - South Portland, ME - July 24, 2024
The Associated General Contractors of Maine proudly announces the successful graduation of the first of two cohorts of their Maine Construction Academy Immersion program hosted by South Portland High School. This marks a significant milestone in preparing local students for promising careers in the commercial construction industry. This innovative workforce development program is a partnership between local schools, technical centers, construction employers, and workforce service providers. South Portland is hosting two of fifteen slated for 2024.
"Our Partnership with South Portland High School has been an exciting one. The robust options for extended learning opportunities and flexible learning structures already in place make this a great addition to the South Portland community. It is our goal to align with schools who support career exploration outside of a traditional college pathway. Our program simply gives a different path to a solid career through pre apprenticeship and apprenticeship” says Kelly Flagg, Executive Director or AGC Maine.
Designed as a Maine certified pre-apprenticeship, the program spanned four weeks, combining classroom learning with hands-on experiences. Participants of the Construction Immersion Program underwent extensive training that included instruction in OSHA 10 safety standards, Construction First Aid & CPR, and the NCCER Core Badge. In addition to technical instruction, the students experienced several meaningful hands-on experiences with local contractors including visiting highway construction projects, earthworks operations, and learning about solar installations. The curriculum extended beyond technical skills, encompassing resume preparation, financial literacy workshops, and guaranteed interviews with participating contractors upon graduation.
A testament to the program's growing popularity, over 250 students applied for programs, with 175 students ultimately selected to participate. Throughout the program, students had the opportunity to earn a stipend while being provided with essential personal protective gear such as hard hats and steel-toed boots.
"I have been teaching in South Portland for four years now, and the Maine Construction Academy is exactly the type of program that our students want and need," shares Abby Anderson, Math Teacher at South Portland High School and instructor for the Maine Construction Academy. "Throughout this program, students have been helping each other, asking thoughtful questions on job sites, and discovering their preferences in regard to choosing the best career/company. They have been outside working in the heat and doing rigorous academic tasks for several hours a day. Being part of this program has been incredibly rewarding for me because I have watched these students engage with opportunities that I normally don't get to see as a regular classroom teacher. The students in this program have exceeded my expectations in every way."
The program is funded by a combination of sources including grants from the Maine Department of Labor, The Governors Energy Office Clean Energy Partnership and a new gift from the Skowhegan Savings Foundation and is geared toward growing pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship opportunities in the State of Maine. AGC Maine, along with several partners worked together to bring the program to life in the summer of 2023.
The Maine Construction Academy looks forward to continuing its mission of empowering aspiring individuals in the construction field through upcoming programs across the state.
For more information about the Maine Construction Academy and its initiatives, please visit www.buildingmaine.com.
Contact:
Kelly Flagg
Executive Director, AGC Maine
(207)650-5679