Maine considers expanding career, tech education

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The Maine Legislature is considering a proposal to expand career and technical education opportunities in the state.

Democratic Sen. Mattie Daughtry of Brunswick has introduced a bill that would establish a task force to study the creation of a comprehensive career and technical education system.

“Important jobs like plumbing, electrical work and carpentry need to be filled but we can’t find enough people with the skills to do them,” she said.

Daughtry also said expanding technical education opportunities would provide more well-paying jobs for Maine residents. That would cut down on the number of young Maine residents who leave the state to pursue opportunity elsewhere, she said.

Daughtry’s proposal was subject to a public hearing on March 17 and faces more consideration in committee before the Maine Legislature could vote on it. The Maine Legislature Senate Majority Office said the proposal could be carried over into the next legislative session.

The task force, if created, “would examine the feasibility, advantages and disadvantages of establishing a comprehensive four-year high school career and technical education program for Maine students, to help more Maine students find pathways to good-paying, local jobs,” the office said.