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S P R I N G 2 0 2 5 / W O R K F O R M E 27 ing firm, said there are plenty of training opportunities for people to learn welding, machinist and other technical skills that are in demand. But the trick nowadays is to make people aware of the jobs that are coming open in those fields as people retire. Like Nichols Portland, other manufacturers are forging part- nerships with CTEs, high schools and others to build brand aware- ness and make students mindful of the opportunities. There's been a lot of talk in recent years about the "skills gap" — where the skills of incoming employees don't match the skills required for the job — but Lewis thinks an "awareness gap" precedes the skills gap. Lewis, who serves on the Manufacturers Association of Maine's workforce devel- opment committee, said it's important for manufacturers to get in front of students to drive home what they do. He knows of a boatbuilder, a con- struction company, a dairy and other types of businesses that are strategically forging part- nerships with schools to build awareness among the workforce of the future. "How do you connect what they're doing in the classroom to what you're doing in the real world," he said. "It raises that awareness but also gives stu- dents that sense of, 'Oh, there is a reason why I'm learning this.' It's important and teachers appreci- ate that. You're coming in and reinforcing what educators are doing but also turning on some lightbulbs at the same time." With nearly 1,900 manufac- turing businesses that employ about 58,000 workers, manufac- turing is Maine's fourth-largest industry, generating over $6.3 billion each year, according to the Manufacturers Association of Maine. The companies make paper, metal, textiles, boats, elec- tronics, food and beverage prod- ucts, medical devices, military and aerospace products, and more. The Maine Department of Labor's latest Job Outlook for Maine report says a combina- tion of a declining birth rates and thousands of baby boomers retiring has raised concerns that there won't be enough people to fill the workforce demand in the years ahead. OFFICES IN SOUTH PORTLAND, BRIDGTON, AND SANFORD, ME Join Our Employee-Owned CREATIVE ENGINEERING COLLECTIVE Civil Engineers Land Surveyors Landscape Architects Environmental Scientists Transportation/Traffic Engineers Planners & Permitting Specialists CADD & GIS Professionals Construction Inspectors 3D Modelers BIBBY & HAROLD ALFOND DINING COMMONS, KENTS HILL SCHOOL We meet every project with a passion for quality, creativity and an emphasis on sustainability. WARRENCONSTRUCTIONGROUP.COM 207.865.3522 M a n u f a c t u r i n g C O N T I N U E D O N F O L LO W I N G PAG E » P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F S O U T H E R N M A I N E C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E Southern Maine Community College is one of several Maine schools offering job training for a variety of fields.