Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 JA N UA R Y 8 , 2 0 1 8 workforce. Maine also has considerable challenges related to infrastructure with signifi cant needs for upgrading, maintaining, and creating new infra- structure. is includes transportation, telecommu- nications and energy infrastructure. ese chal- lenges for Maine are not only fi nancial, but also political. Politically, this plays out as a clear lack of public consensus on the value of economic devel- opment and what it takes to make it occur. Far too many projects take far too long to come to fruition. Many are thwarted by NIMBYism, lack of consen- sus and lack of leadership. Iris: e biggest challenge can also be seen as an opportunity as we look ahead to 2018 and beyond. Maine is the oldest state in the country with a median age of 44 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with little prospect of moving toward a more youthful demographic in the near term. is challenge may be off set by the opportu- nity for increased growth in the health care indus- try — albeit with an increased burden of paying for an aging population. Another opportunity and additional off set to the challenges presented by an aged population is the growing number of out-of- state students enrolling in the University of Maine system. An increase in the number of educated young people coming into the state will ultimately fuel economic growth — especially if they fi nd jobs and remain in the state after graduation. Rector: e single most important challenge facing the state is Maine's demographic situation. More and more businesses in the state are facing the realities of an aging workforce and lack of popula- tion growth. is challenge must be overcome for the state to continue to grow. On a positive note, the 2017 Census Bureau population estimates had stronger growth for Maine, based on higher numbers of people moving to the state. Interest in local, sustainable and artisanal food and beverages continues to grow. Maine is becoming more verti- cally integrated around these sectors, which is excit- ing. You can take raw goods grown or harvested in Maine, add value through an in-state production process and then ship them around the world. Bouvier: Maine faces diffi cult choices on how it will choose to grow and what it will do to support that growth. Maine spends about 1% of its GSP on research and development. at is not enough. We need to tie R&D eff orts to areas where Maine needs more quali- fi ed workers. Several things that could help, as already mentioned, are to increase strategic investments in infrastructure, education and broadband. Finally, and obviously, we face an ongoing opioid epidemic and the aging of Maine's population. As to the fi rst, we need to ensure increased access to treatment and rehabilita- tion for those aff ected. For the second issue, we need to implement policies that allow for folks to age in place: aff ordable elderly housing, public transporta- tion and expansion of Medicare. However, the aging of Maine's workforce is also an opportunity. ere is a wealth of knowledge and experience in those work- ers. We need to ensure that those skills are not lost in the transition to a younger generation, by encourag- ing mentorships and on-the-job training. 5. How can Maine increase its labor pool? DeLutio: By encouraging more baby boomers to stay in the workforce past 65, helping disengaged workers, especially prime-age males, gain the skills employers need, welcoming more immigrants and turning more tourists into residents. According to the Maine Offi ce of Tourism, 26 million out-of-staters visited Maine last summer. If just one-quarter of 1% of them moved here, that would be 65,000 people — that's another Portland. Damicis: Maine can increase its pool of talent by working with communities and developers for the development of a variety of types of aff ordable work- force housing, including rental and ownership, as aff ordability continues to decline in the nations' job centers. is can be combined with public invest- ment in Maine's downtowns, main streets and village centers to support the lifestyle and amenities desired by the work force and entrepreneurs. Maine can also continue to support and grow it entrepreneurial ecosystems and supporting people "creating jobs" as opposed to "getting a job." Finally, Maine can make a big shift in education and workforce by investing in mandatory fi ve-year high schools with attainment of associate's degrees and/or job readiness and certifi ca- tions combined with robust apprenticeship programs through partnerships among high schools, commu- nity colleges and employers. Iris: One way Maine can increase its pool of work- ers is by the continued success of the University of Maine system in attracting out-of-state enroll- ments. Innovation driven by a younger educated work force combined with an increase in training programs for older workers — administered by private business or at various community college campuses — could further serve to provide in- demand skills to increase the worker pool. Rector: ere is no single, simple solution to the workforce shortage problem. Instead, it takes a coor- dinated and sustained eff ort from both the private and public sectors. Maine's private-sector employ- ment has reached a record high, indicating that some progress is already being made. Continuing to engage those workers already here is one of the short-term fi xes — keeping older workers on the job, retraining the long-term unemployed, and seeking out under- employed workers. Longer term, we need to attract more workers to the state. Policy changes are one way to address this, such as student loan debt relief and a competitive income tax structure. Private companies can also think about innovative ways to entice more young workers from out of state. Bouvier: We need to welcome with open arms those who come to Maine from diff erent states or even dif- ferent regions of the world. Apart from the southern regions of the state, natural population growth— births minus deaths — is negative. If we want to increase our labor force, we need to encourage and promote in-migration. Finally, remember that the labor force includes all those who are actively looking for a job, as well as those who are currently employed. Maine has a very low unemployment rate, but that doesn't include discouraged workers or those who are underemployed. We need to support those who are willing and able to work, yet might need re-training or education to get a new or better job. P V A , Mainebiz editor, can be reached at @ . and @ ME P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Construction and development is a bright spot in Maine's economy, but it's tempered by a shortage of qualifi ed workers.

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