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a r t i c l e W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 1 10 Demand for employees AGC Maine presents programs to schools and career fairs about the opportunities. Marks says people are often surprised that jobs with higher-than-average salaries don't require advanced degrees but only training through community colleges or certificate and employer programs and apprenticeships. "You can be on your way to earnings with- out a huge, or any, student debt," he says. Jobs abound. For example, Maine has a dire need for electricians, due to circumstances like the expanding solar industry and a growing need for electrical infrastructure. "If you have a daughter or son with an aptitude to work with their hands and is also inclined to learn applied math or science skills, what a great opportunity," he says. "It's a combination of learning in the field and bookwork. You come out of that with your license — and that's gold." Many companies offer educational as- sistance, while competition for employees is driving pay and benefits ever higher, he adds. The opportunity to forge his own path was attractive to Smith. Great Falls is owned by his parents and he spent summers jumping into jobs, including demolition, clean-up and general labor. He got a business degree, with a minor in communication, at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., returned to Maine and started at Great Falls in 2018, putting his degree to work on estimating, marketing, finance and project management. He enjoys the wide-ranging work. "I really like the exposure to all the different industries that we have a hand in build- ing here in Maine," he says of the diverse projects. "But also, and it sounds cliché, I enjoy the people we work with, building relationships with folks in Maine." n Build Your Career With Us Auburn • Bangor • Bar Harbor • Belfast • Belgrade Blue Hill • Boothbay Harbor • Brunswick • Bucksport Calais • Camden • Cherryfield • Damariscotta Ellsworth • Fairfield • Farmington • Greenville Machias • Portland • Rockland • Skowhegan Hammond Lumber Company is Maine's largest independent lumber and building material retailer—with 21 locations around the state and over 800 employees. Skip Hammond started the company in 1953 with two employees and a commitment to "saw straight, talk straight, and do more for his customer than the guy down the road." If you share that mindset, we have positions in sales, logistics, drafting & design, accounting, information technology, human resources, management, and more. We'll provide the training you need, and we offer great job perks, including: • Training and Career Development Opportunities • Health, Dental, Short-term-disability, and Life Insurance • 401(k) Plan & Company Match • Flexible Spending Accounts • Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays • Employee Assistance Program • Employee Referral Program • Employee Discount on Building Materials Build a career in Maine: HammondLumber.com/careers HammondLumber.com C o n s t r u c t i o n / T r a d e s « C O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S PA G E You can be on your way to earnings without a huge, or any, student debt. F I L E P H O T O / J A M E S M C C A R T H Y Matthew Marks, CEO of Associated General Contractors of Maine j o b s e a r c h n Search AGC Maine, businesses and websites like Indeed for job postings in construction and related fields like engineering, architecture, insurance and banking. n AGC Maine's Emerging Contractors Group provides a networking and educational and service opportunities. n AGC Maine's Education Foundation awards scholarships in engineering and/or construction management. n University of Maine offers a construction engineering technology program. Maine's community colleges offer programs in fields like electrical engineering, construction technology and woodworking.

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