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AUGUSTA — Maine’s community colleges are launching new academic degree and certificate programs, new short-term job training opportunities and unveiling refurbished and new facilities across its seven colleges this fall.
Classes begin Aug. 26 at Central Maine Community College in Auburn, Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, Northern Maine Community College in Fort Kent and Southern Maine Community College in South Portland; Sept. 3 at Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, York County Community College in Wells and and Washington County Community College in Machias.
“We are constantly expanding opportunities for our students and making sure we help them get the best start possible, from short-term training to two-year programs including options to transfer seamlessly to four-year programs,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System.
“While many of our students will be starting college coursework in the next few weeks, others have been working hard this summer at getting the training and skills they need to participate in this new, more technical economy,” said Daigler, noting the year-round nature of lifelong learning at the system. “We want to give our students the best shot at a bright future.”
Many of the program changes are driven by shifting needs in Maine’s economy. The state is grappling with the combined impact of an aging workforce, low unemployment and critical workforce shortages across multiple sectors in all corners of our state.
The Maine Community College System plays a critical role in addressing these issues, making strategic changes and investments so more Maine people can gain new skills, and helping grow the state’s economy.
Among the highlights:
* NEW CLASSES, COURSES: CMCC is offering three new degree options this fall: plumbing and heating, HVAC/R, and facilities maintenance and management. YCCC is launching new certificate programs in additive manufacturing, community mental health, and hospitality and tourism management. KVCC’s sustainable construction program has added new courses, certifications, and workshops that offer short- and longer-term training in skills including timber frame joinery and new building and material technologies. WCCC is offering a new associates degree in Electromechanical Instrumentation Technology that builds on the college’s residential and commercial electricity program.
* ONE-YEAR CERTIFICATES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Dual enrollment students at United Technology Center, the regional career and technical high school, can earn a new one-year certificate in small business from EMCC even before they graduate high school. This program allows graduates to either get an associate’s degree in Business Management at EMCC in just one year, or go to another institution with a year of college credits.
* BADGING: EMCC and CMCC launched new badging initiatives so students can gain new and specialized job skills – from power tool safety to information literacy – quickly and affordably.
* NEW FACILITIES: NMCC has a new nursing simulation center and a newly remodeled gymnasium. NMCC is also adding a pneumatic robotic arm to their precision machining program, a virtual anatomy table in the life science courses, a cloud-based conferencing system for the emergency medical services program, and a hydraulic training simulator with electronics for the diesel hydraulics program. CMCC has new and expanded athletic fields, with lights and a synthetic surface. The complex includes NCAA-sized competition fields for baseball, softball, and soccer.
* ESPORTS AT CMCC – FOR ATHLETES AND SCHOLARS. CMCC just opened a new 1,600 square-foot high-tech esports arena for its new esports competitive team. The competitive video gaming facility has state-of-the-art Alienware Area-51 Threadrippers, five console stations with Xbox One, PS4 Pro, and Nintendo Switch, and a Twitch broadcast booth for live streaming matches. A massive screen has been installed in the nearby gymnasium for overflow crowds watching tournaments. CMCC is part of the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NACE.) CMCC is also offering a new esports management degree program this year. NMCC is also starting an esports team this fall.
* NEW STUDY ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES: SMCC’s Global Studies Center is offering its first study-abroad opportunity with a trip to Cuba during the spring semester, to explore Cuba through the lens of arts and science. SMCC is also offering a culinary/hospitality course that includes a travel component to Barcelona.
* CYBER SECURITY EXCELLENCE: SMCC’s cyber security program was recently designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the federal National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
Several of the new programs were developed with special funding. New state funding in 2017 for workforce development was used to build or expand 10 degree and certificate programs in the trades and technologies. At the same time, MCCS created new regional centers for skills training in manufacturing, commercial driving and nursing.
A new $3.6 million grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation, announced in December, funded 11 new workforce training programs that will be starting in the upcoming weeks. Those programs include medical assisting at EMCC and SMCC; welding programs at KVCC and SMCC; and a computer support program at CMCC. Demand for the new programs is very high – there were 235 applications for 40 spots in EMCC’s new medical assisting program.
PHOTO: Central Maine Community College in Auburn. (Submitted photo)
