JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY - The Power and Potential of Maine’s Community Colleges - Executive Summary Report of the Governor’s Community College Advisory Council

Oct 15, 2026

Executive summary of the Governor’s Community College Advisory Council explaining how Maine’s community colleges can address workforce and education gaps. The report links low college attainment among adults and recent high school leavers to a growing skills mismatch in a rapidly changing, technology-driven economy. It highlights workforce shortages across major industries, notes that colleges have grown enrollment sharply while state funding and staffing lag, and concludes that capacity limits threaten the colleges’ ability to meet future demand.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Report purpose and context

Growth in degree students since 2002

Workforce and skills shortages

Capacity constraints and funding strain

Advisory council findings

JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY: The Power and Potential of Maine’s Community Colleges EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADVISORY COUNCIL Governor’s Community College Advisory Council “Higher education is now nearly essential for success in Maine’s workplace. But almost two-thirds of Maine adults—455,000 individuals—do not hold a college degree, and some 7,000 young people leave high school each year with no immediate plans to enroll in college.” GROWTH IN DEGREE STUDENTS SINCE 2002 – 42% increase in the last three years – State funding increased less than 6% in that three-year period EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Maine’s community colleges and its predecessors were created to respond to dramatic changes in the state’s economy and in the lives of its people. The state’s first vocational technical institute was established in 1946 to confront the challenges posed by an economy in transition from wartime to peace. Forty years later, as technology reshaped the workplace, the institutes became technical colleges. In 2003, the technical colleges were changed to community colleges to help address Maine’s persistently low college-going rates and to ensure broad access to college for all those in Maine who aspired to it. In 2006, as Maine continues to undergo a dramatic transformation to a knowledgebased economy, the community colleges have become a crucial part of Maine’s educational continuum—a starting place for those who historically have not gone on to college but now view higher education as a necessity and a vital source of skilled workers for Maine’s evolving industries. An economy fueled by technology and information demands a highly skilled and educated workforce. Higher education, once required by relatively few in our state, is now nearly essential for success in Maine’s workplace. But almost two-thirds of Maine adults—some 455,000 working age individuals—do not hold a college degree. And approximately 50 percent of the state’s high school graduates—some 7,000 young people—leave highschool with no immediate plans to enroll in college. They enter a changed and changing world of work with limited options and little hope for a secure and prosperous future—an alarming prospect for them and for the state. While Maine’s economy is changing at a rapid pace, Maine’s workforce is not. The state’s population is growing slowly, getting older, and remaining relatively homogeneous. An estimated 80 percent of those who will be working in Maine a decade from now are already on the job. Many of them entered a world of work that required a different set of skills than those demanded by the current economy. In order to compete, Maine must dramatically increase the educational attainment levels of its citizens. Already, many of Maine’s core industries face significant shortages of skilled workers, a shortage that is slowing the growth of the state’s economy and dimming its prospects for the future. This skills gap also means Mainers are seeing thousands of good jobs pass them by. Maine’s community colleges have the potential—if not the current capacity—to bridge these large and troubling gaps. By offering an affordable and accessible gateway to higher education for thousands of low- and moderate-income Maine people, the community colleges have experienced dramatic growth in just three years. Clearly, Maine people—buffeted by job losses and the realities of a changing economy—recognize that they must upgrade their skills in order to find good paying, reliable work. But that growth has brought the colleges to a critical juncture: nearing or exceeding capacity in many of their most popular programs; straining facilities and services; and struggling to meet the demand of many key Maine industries for skilled workers. Like the state’s economy, Maine’s community colleges are at a major crossroads, poised for growth but lacking critically important resources to realize their full potential. Recognizing the

FAQs

Why does the report emphasize community colleges in Maine’s economic outlook?

Because higher education is becoming nearly essential for success in Maine’s workplace, yet a large share of adults and many high school graduates lack immediate college plans.

What does the report say about workforce shortages in Maine?

It states Maine has shortages of skilled workers across virtually every major industry, with community colleges training only about one-third of the skilled workers needed through 2012.

What capacity and funding challenges do Maine’s community colleges face?

Enrollment increased 42% in three years while state funding rose only 5.7% and staffing remained flat, pushing the system to or near capacity in many programs and facilities.

Oct 15, 2026

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