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V O L . X X I V N O. I I I F E B R UA R Y 5 , 2 0 1 8 8 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E construct in several phases a land- based salmon operation with annual salmon production capacity of 33,000 tons, or 66 million pounds. In the project's first phase over the next two years, Nordic Aquafarms will invest $150 million and hire 60 people. When fully built out, the facility will represent a total capital investment of between $450 million to $500 million and will be an end- to-end operation, including hatch- eries and fish processing. Aqua Ventus eyes Boothbay cable connection e University of Maine is explor- ing the possibility of connecting an undersea cable from the Maine Aqua Ventus offshore wind test site off Monhegan Island to the mainland at Boothbay. At its Jan. 24 meeting, the board authorized UMaine's Advanced Structures and Composites Center to per- form a cable route survey in late March to identify a possible route, according to the Boothbay Register. e survey is expected to take about eight days to complete. Aqua Ventus has ruled out Port Clyde as a possible location. N O T E W O R T H Y M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T Camden National Bank launched TreasuryLink, a secure online bank- ing platform for business customers to manage and integrate the trea- sury process. The platform allows the user to control permissions, run customizable reports and automate alerts from any device to enhance the product suite and personalized service offered by the bank's trea- sury management and commercial banking teams. Cheney Insurance in Damariscotta has a new, 40.8kW solar energy generation system, which is expected to make the agency 100% energy in- dependent. The system, installed by ReVision Energy in Portland, features 136 solar panels located on the roof of the agency's building. Coagulation Sciences LLC, a medical device startup that is be- ing incubated at the MDI Biological Laboratory in Bar Harbor, an- nounced that it selected Enercon Technologies Inc. in Gray to be its contract manufacturing partner for its Multiple Coagulation Test System. The system is a desktop device that UMaine System 'pathways' program addresses demand for engineers B y M a i n e b i z S t a f f The University of Maine System will launch a Maine Engineering Pathways Program in the fall to help students prepare for a career in engineering, a response to the Maine's shortage of trained engineers. The program is designed to prepare students to graduate in four years from an accredited engineering program and be ready to join the Maine workforce in a field with starting annual salaries in excess of $60,000. According to statistics provided by the UMaine System, engineering employment grew 25% over the last decade, with 1,450 engineering jobs being posted between June 2015 and June 2016. Through 2027, UMaine projects the state will need 3,170 additional engineers: 1,420 being new posi- tions and 1,750 to replace retiring engineers. "Demand for engineers at Pratt and Whitney will continue to be strong for the foreseeable future," Kevin McDonnell, director of engineering at Pratt and Whitney North Berwick Aero Systems, said in a news release. "We have our biggest backlog of new engine deliveries since World War II, and many new engine programs under development. The University of Maine System has a proven track record of providing us top-notch engineers. Pratt and Whitney will continue to look to the Maine University System to provide us with the best and brightest engineers as we develop and build the next generation of gas turbine engines." Opportunity abounds The 1 + 3 Maine Engineering Pathways Program creates an opportunity for students to begin the first year of their engineering education at the Bangor and Augusta cam- puses of the University of Maine at Augusta, the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine at Machias, or University of Maine at Presque Isle and then complete their engineering degree at the University of Maine or the University of Southern Maine. Students will also be able to access the program at University College locations in Bath/Brunswick, East Millinocket, Ellsworth, Houlton, Norway/South Paris, Rockland, Rumford and Saco with a potential requirement for limited travel to a campus for lab work. The program is intended to serve students who want to begin their academic careers at an institution closer to home or may need access to extra preparation to be ready for the academic rigors of engineering education. It also provides students at participating institutions with a chance to explore engineering as a possible career. Students entering the Maine Engineering Pathways Program will immediately begin their engineering education at participating institutions by taking an introductory course to explore engineering as a career and foundational courses in mathematics and science. Following the successful completion of about 35 credits students will be able to transfer to either the University of Maine or the University of Southern Maine on track to earning a work-ready degree in engineering in just three additional years. "There is great demand from industry for more engineers in Maine," said Dana Humphrey, dean of the UMaine College of Engineering. "The Maine Engineering Pathways Program will help to address that need by providing a new way for Maine students to start their engineering studies." Engineering job fairs at UMaine and USM, as well as the Maine Engineering Promotion Council's annual expo hosted this year at UMaine on Feb. 24, are expected to draw more than 150 employers and provide information to students about internships and potential job openings. B R I E F P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F M A I N E the vision of an improved health system that provides coverage, access and quality, affordable care to all," the organization said. Baxter Brewing plans expansion in Lewiston Baxter Brewing Co. in Lewiston plans to open a 4,800-square-foot taproom this summer in Bates Mill 1A. e Sun Journal reported that the tap room will be 10 times the size of the current space. Baxter Brewing is the third- largest brewer in Maine. Founder Luke Livingston told the paper that the expansion will incorporate historic equipment, like turbines, dating back 175 years in the mill's history. N O T E W O R T H Y C E N T R A L & W E S T E R N The University of Maine System in Augusta said it will launch the Maine Engineering Pathways Program in the fall of 2018 to help more students prepare for a Maine-based career in engineer- ing and to build workforce development capacity in response to a critical state shortage. The program is designed to pre- pare students to graduate in four years from an accredited engineering program. USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program said it will provide the town of Winthrop a $2 million loan to build a new fire station. $150M salmon farm investment planned for Belfast Nordic Aquafarms, headquartered in Norway and one of the largest international developers of land- based aquaculture, announced plans to build one of the world's largest land-based salmon farms in Belfast, with its total capital investment expected to be between $450 mil- lion and $500 million. e firm has signed agreements to purchase 40 acres on the outskirts of Belfast to M I D C O A S T & D O W N E A S T

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