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W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 32 M aine needs 75,000 more workers by 2030, according to the Maine Development Foundation's 2019 "Measures of Growth Report." Unfortunately, we have seen a decline of 65,000 workers in recent years as Maine has more retirees than people entering the work- force; we have the oldest population in the nation, and we have more deaths than births. The only population that is growing in Maine, northern New England and the United States is the population of people of color, immigrants, and refugees. There are nearly 10,000 students of color and nearly 100,000 people of color living in Maine, and almost 2.5 million people of color in the tri-state area: Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. There is a great opportunity to recruit, hire, and retain people of color. Here are three strategies for creating a more diverse workforce. 1. Recruit For many, networking helps to find job oppor- tunities. If people of color are not part of your net- work, or if you do not have relationships within diverse communities, you need to do the work. Luckily, building relationships is not mysterious. It's fun. It is also easy because networking in Maine is a matter of just a few degrees of separation. Every- one knows everyone, eventually. Perhaps the easiest way to network is to connect with our local colleges and universities. Campus multicultural directors, deans of students, and the various racial and ethnic groups on campuses are well-poised to offer and receive opportunities for jobs, internships, and apprenticeships for their diverse student populations. It is worth the effort. For example, Southern Maine Community College alone has 1,000 stu- dents of color ready to contribute to the workforce. Numerous towns in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts have a high concentration of people of color. By working with local officials, community ethnic leaders, navigators, and groups, and B Y T A E C H O N G The workers we need are right in front of us 1 College Circle, Bangor, ME husson.edu | 207.941.7000 BUSINESS | COMMUNICATIONS | COUNSELING | CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATION | HEALTH | PHARMACY | SCIENCE & HUMANITIES | TECHNOLOGY 96% career outcome rate 96% of our students are employed or in graduate school within one year of graduation – proof that a Husson education is a smart investment. 96% career outcome 96% of our students are employed or in graduate school within one year of graduation – proof that a Husson education is a smart investment. Our is something to celebrate. C o m m e n t a r y Tae Chong, Diversity Equity and Inclusion consultant to Maine State Chamber and owner of Tae Chong Consulting and Fresh Out of the Box Thinking (FOB) LLC, can be reached at tae.y.chong@gmail.com www.biddefordmaine.org City Government, local businesses, schools and non-profits work in tandem to find alignment between job readiness training and the skills most needed in the workplace. www.biddefordmaine.org City Government, local businesses, schools and non-profits work in tandem to find alignment between job readiness training and the skills most needed in the workplace.