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V O L . X X X I N O. X I I § 2 J U N E 2 , 2 0 2 5 10 pre-apprentices trained so far across seven academy sessions, and sessions by a sister program at IBEW 1253 in Newport (which mostly serves high school students), include 69 women, 106 people of color, 22 justice-involved individuals, 92 unemployed workers, 90 youth (age 18-24), and five individuals with dis- abilities. e majority would qualify as low-income. Graduates go into union registered appren- ticeship programs as union carpenters, electri- cians, elevator constructors, iron workers, insula- tors, laborers, millwrights, plumbers and pipefit- ters and sheet metal workers. "is program aims to train workers from diverse backgrounds not only because we think it's the right to do, but also because we need more skilled tradespeople across the board and can't meet those needs by only drawing from a small subset of the population," says Sam Boss, director of apprentice- ship and workforce equity at Maine AFL-CIO. Recruitment of more women has been a top prior- ity; the academy has done several sessions specifically aimed at bringing more women into the trades — and they've had a lot of success in the field, says Boss. Each session take 15 to 20 people. "We provide a small teacher-to-student ratio and support that contin- ues after they graduate from the program," Boss says. Boss gets word out in a variety ways, including career fairs, high schools, nonprofit partners and social media. Every session has had a strong response rate. In the past couple of years, each session has received over 100 applications for the 15 to 20 spots available. e extent of the need for workers depends on the trade. "But I'd say just about everybody is looking for more quality people on their job sites," Boss says, adding, "ere's a lot of construction happening around Maine." Hands-on experience "e need continues to grow," says Kelly Flagg, executive director at Associated General Contrac- tors of Maine, or AGC Maine, which established a program called the Maine Construction Academy to provide pre-apprenticeship pathways through four weeks of instruction in both the classroom and hands-on experiences. "Construction in Maine over the last several years has made up a large portion of the job growth in our state," says Flagg. Growing demand for work- ers combined with an aging workforce is driving the need for training, she says. Established in 2023, the academy last year offered 12 youth programs and three adult programs For 2025 it currently has 16 youth programs scheduled, along with one program for all ages and a pilot pro- gram for adults in recovery and re-entry from incar- ceration, which is a partnership with MaineWorks. e four-week sessions run each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students are provided all necessary protective gear for construction, including new boots, and receive basic construction related certifi- cations that help them when they enter the work- force. Certifications show they have basic knowl- edge in things like construction math, print read- ing, hand tools and power tools. ey have several hands-on experiences with different construction companies on different types of projects. "We try to make sure they see at least a transpor- tation project, building project and energy project during the program so they see the options avail- able within construction," Flagg says. Path to apprenticeship So far, the academy has served 252 students and expects around 300 this year. e youth programs are hosted by high schools and technical education centers. ose students are recruited by a combination of teacher recommenda- tions and AGC general marketing to the commu- nity through parent info sessions and career fairs. Adults are often drawn to AGC's social media or website as they search for career change options. e goal is for students to enter apprentice- ships with the companies they meet. "Several of our students are now working in the industry in a variety of careers and some have even completed apprenticeship programs," Flagg says. "We track the students for several years after the program as the younger students may not be ready for work when they take the program, but it is our hope that they will find something they are interested in and it will help drive their remain- ing high school experience." She continues, "Our adult programs have a much faster and higher placement rate, as those individuals are ready for a career and often take a position immediately following the program. We have had great success there." Connections "We recognized that there's a need and, if we want a next generation of construction workers, we have to figure out how to do it," says Robin Wood, human resources director for Reed & Reed, a general contractor in Woolwich, which partners with AGC Maine on the Maine Con- struction Academy programming. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M PA G E 8 C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 1 2 » We recognized that there's a need and, if we want a next generation of construction workers, we have to figure out how to do it. — Robin Wood Reed & Reed P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y O F R E E D & R E E D Reed & Reed pre-apprentices learn skills like how to use a harness and lanyard, building forms before placing concrete and operating a forklift.

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