Mainebiz Special Editions

V O L . X X I I N O. X V 66 FA C T BO O K / D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N M A I N E WO R K F O R C E A sk any employer of any size in any industry in Maine, "What's your biggest challenge?" ere's a very good chance the answer will be labor. Maine's aging population and the dearth of young people entering the workforce has left local employ- ers scrambling, especially as Maine's unemployment rate hit historic lows of 3.8% by the end of 2015. " ere's an imbalance," says Jean Paquette, commis- sioner of the Maine Department of Labor. "We have more people in the existing workforce than entering the workforce, and the labor market is rapidly tightening." With such a tight market, many employers are looking at ways to recruit people who are not currently working, but could be, and those who are underem- ployed in jobs that don't match their skills or experi- ence. ey're also looking at ways to retain workers that might consider leaving the local workforce. "As we look at strategies to attract people into the workforce, we've got to tap into the underem- ployed workers who are out there," Paquette says. "How are we going to upskill [retrain] them?" at untapped part of the labor market includes some of the 1,400 workers displaced by the closure of fi ve paper mills in 2014-15. About half had found other jobs by March 2016, according to Maine's Department of Labor. Another 15% of the workers, or 209, retrained for other lines of work through the state's career cen- ters, primarily for careers in the HVAC, medical, truck driving, woodworking and welding industries. Other employers are looking for ways to keep older workers on board. " is is a high priority for us," says Greg Howat, vice president of human resources at Bangor's Eastern Maine Medical Center, which earned the "Silver Collar" award from the Maine Jobs Council in 2013 for providing a positive environment for older workers. "We value organizational knowledge and experience," Howat says. "We're happy to keep people who know how the system works and how to keep it humming." e hospital system is considering a variety of ini- tiatives to keep experienced older staff members, like potentially off ering shorter shifts for those who want to scale back. It also means providing opportunities for employees who want to move into less physically- demanding positions, or out of managerial roles. "Management isn't for everyone, and it's not for everyone for the rest of their careers," Howat says. ese "silver collar" workers may be a fertile part of the labor market to tap, as many older workers are interested in staying in the workforce longer, says Lori Parham, state director for AARP Maine. " e great recession had a real impact on people," she says. "Many have gone back to work and others are choosing to work longer because they have limited retirement savings." ere is also a statewide eff ort to attract and retain veterans in the workforce. In September 2015, the Maine Department of Labor sponsored its fi rst Hire-A-Vet Campaign and set a goal of getting 100 veterans hired by 100 employers in 100 days. e program exceeded its target: 135 employers hired 259 veterans during that 100-day time frame. Diversifying the workforce Local employers are also searching for ways to make their companies more welcoming to people of dif- ferent cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. "It would be great to attract a more diverse work force," says Jonathan Mapes, president of H.A. Finding a workforce With workers in short supply, recruiters use new strategies B y J e n n i f e r V a n A l l e n Representing businesses, developers, and individuals including • Residential and Commercial Real Estate • Municipal and Land Use Issues • Business Planning/ Formation • Construction • Banking/Finance • Wealth – Estate Planning and Probate • Litigation • Employment York County's Largest Full-Service Law Firm www.bergenparkinson.com Kennebunk: 207-985-7000 62 Portland Road Kennebunk, ME Saco: 207-283-1000 144 Main Street Saco, ME Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an Companies are looking for an edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural edge up. Building their cultural competency is one way that they're getting that. Because whether people are moving here from New York, New Guinea or New Zealand, they're coming from different cultures. — Liz Greason, Maine Intercultural Communications

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