Mainebiz

W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 40 A new era of manufac- turing is on the rise in Maine, one in which workers can prosper financially while mastering advanced tech- nical skills working with cutting- edge technologies. But getting the word out pos- es unique challenges in a state where manufacturing, once the dominant industry, now looks very different from what many people envision, industry leaders say. "We have an awareness problem," says Mike Roughton, executive director of the Manu- facturers Association of Maine. "It's a healthy, vibrant part of our economy. We have folks that are doing some very interesting, very high-tech things … that people just aren't even aware of." The demand for manufactur- ing workers in Maine is pervasive, with employers across all parts of the state expressing a need for fresh talent, says Bill Whittier, senior project manager at the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Maine MEP helps small and midsize manufacturers in the state improve their opera- tions by implementing advanced technologies. Whittier says manufactur- ers of all kinds have been post- ing want ads on social media, job listing sites — even on signs in front of their buildings — in the hopes of getting noticed by potential hires. "There's not a one of them that doesn't need employees," Whit- tier says. "They're pulling out all kinds of stops." Most Mainers have some un- derstanding that the state's manu- facturing sector isn't as dominant as it once was. At its height in the mid-20th century, as much as 40% of Maine workers were engaged in making paper, textiles, shoes and other manufactured goods. Maine's manufacturing output remains down significantly from its heyday but has been rising steadily in recent years, with a much greater diversity of roles for workers than in decades past. The state's legacy goods have largely been replaced by things such as advanced forest products, microchips, veterinary testing equipment and aerospace compo- nents. And shipbuilder Bath Iron Works remains a huge player in the sector, employing thousands of Mainers with skills including metal fabrication, welding, as- sembly and system integration. Today, less than 10% of the state's jobs are in manufacturing, and yet many employers are more desperate than ever to attract new talent. The pandemic only exacerbated the worker shortage, Roughton says, as many veteran makers chose to retire or leave the industry. That increased demand spells opportunity for young people who choose manufacturing as a career, he says, but getting them inter- ested may require changing their perceptions. P H O T O / F R E D F I E L D HIGH-TECH FUTURES Forging M a n u f a c t u r i n g B Y J . C R A I G A N D E R S O N Today's manufacturing careers offer variety, flexibility and the opportunity to master advanced technical skills Ethan Bubar took a nine-month course in computer numerical control (CNC) machining at Central Maine Community College, graduating in May 2022. He was immediately hired by Kennebec Technologies, a contract manufacturer in Augusta that specializes in precision aerospace parts. Right now, at Kennebec, I'm making a part for the Air Force. I just like the idea of making parts for people across the world. — Ethan Bubar Kennebec Technologies

• Cover