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V O L . X X V I N O. X X I X D E C E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 2 0 22 WO R K F O R C E D E V E L O P M E N T "What I find is you have to form relationships with the advisor or the pro- fessor to get that discussion going and keep it rolling," Haley Ward's Szillery told Mainebiz. Maine lags Data show that Maine lags the nation in developing a workforce for science and engineering jobs. But there's no reason Maine can't catch up in the STEM fields in general, said Heather Johnson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, who spoke during the webinar series. Johnson said Maine must better align its educational systems — including pre- kindergarten through grade 12, higher education institutions, retraining oppor- tunities, and community and technical schools — to create "a continuum of workforce" that meets the business com- munity's needs in the STEM economy. Johnson recounted a meeting between her agency and a couple of life science businesses thinking about locating in Maine. ey weren't worried about finding Ph.D. scientists so much as lab technicians, she said. Johnson noted that Maine's new 10-year strategic economic develop- ment plan, released by Gov. Janet Mills last December, called for build- ing on Maine's "heritage" industries of farming, forestry and fishing to drive innovation and a diverse economy for the future. And she cited the Harold Alfond Foundation's recent $500 million pledge in charitable grants to Maine schools and organizations to support the goals of the plan. e gifts are a major resource that helps Maine stand out as the state works on developing STEM talent, she said. Filling STEM jobs, which are expected to grow in number in the future, means developing the skills in resident Mainers, keeping them in Maine, and attracting out-of-state stu- dents and adults, Johnson said. e Department of Economic and Community Development is looking at tools to align opportunities so busi- ness and learners can find each other; to help students, even from an early age, to understand what a STEM career looks like and how to get there; and to help displaced workers get jobs available now and in the future. e average salary for a life science job, Johnson noted, is $87,000, compared with $38,000 for a non-STEM. e nature of STEM careers is a moving target: jobs of the future might not even exist today. So what should today's STEM education look like? Says Ferrini-Mundy, "I'd say the abil- ity to work across different disciplines, and collaborate across fields and back- grounds, needs to be built into university preparation for STEM fields. e future of Maine will hold robust partnerships. I think it can be a bright future, but we have to stay focused on what it can be and not only on how to strengthen what we currently have in place." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz We are grateful to have Amy Bell Segal, RLA join our team of Landscape Architects. At some point in our lives, as landscape architects, we master the fundamentals of design and just learn to love every line we draw. Our culture at Sebago Technics embraces this and seeks to apply that passion. It is why we are always seeking people like Amy who are aligned in creativity and commitment to the success of each project. Amy and our entire Landscape Architect team are ready to engage their creativity and experience to your project as they love every line. Loving EvEry LinE s e b a g o t e c h n i c s . c o m • s o u t h p o r t l a n d • 1 0 0 % e m p l o y e e - o w n e d • 2 0 7 . 2 0 0 . 2 1 0 0 Kylie Mason, RLA Steve Doe, RLA Henry Hess, RLA Dan Danvers, RLA » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E The final webinar of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Science is US series on STEM workforce development in Maine is scheduled for Jan. 6, 1–3p.m. The topic is "STEM Jobs of the Future, in Maine." P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A I N E S Y S T E M Joan Ferrini-Mundy, president of the University of Maine Orono, says STEM talent development depends on better educational alignment, robust R&D and public-private partnerships. F O C U S

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