MAINE, USA — A new statewide initiative aims to strengthen Maine’s construction workforce by offering free, fast-track training at five community colleges. Beginning in 2026, the Maine Construction Academy Immersion Programs will train adults for high-demand trades while providing industry-recognized credentials and direct access to employers.
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The program is a partnership between the Maine Community College System (MCCS) and the Associated General Contractors of Maine (AGC Maine), funded through the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce. Training will be tuition-free for all participants, who will be prepared to enter registered apprenticeships or pursue additional construction certificates and degrees.
The four-week academy will blend hands-on instruction with employer engagement, giving students exposure to real jobsite conditions and pathways to employment. According to Kelly Flagg, executive director of AGC Maine:
“The Maine Construction Academy Immersion Program gives participants a real-world introduction to the trades while connecting them directly to employers ready to hire,” Flagg said.
This approach positions the program as a pipeline to both immediate employment and long-term career building within Maine’s growing construction sector.
The immersion programs will launch on multiple campuses in phases throughout the spring of 2026:
CollegeLocationStart DateCentral Maine Community CollegeAuburnMarch 3, 2026Northern Maine Community CollegePresque IsleMarch 16, 2026Kennebec Valley Community CollegeFairfieldMay 11, 2026Eastern Maine Community CollegeBangorMay 13, 2026Washington County Community CollegeCalaisMay 18, 2026
Funding comes from a blend of philanthropic support and allocations through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, reinforcing state and private-sector investment in workforce readiness.
This program builds on the Construction Industry Workforce Partnership, launched by the Alfond Center in March 2025. More than 50 education, labor, and industry stakeholders are collaborating to develop statewide strategies to solve chronic labor shortages as construction demand rises.
Additional short-term pathways are currently being developed in HVAC, carpentry, and heavy equipment operation, with the potential for future expansions as workforce needs evolve.
State officials say the new construction academy will strengthen apprenticeship pipelines. Joan Dolan, director of Apprenticeship & Strategic Partnerships at the Maine Department of Labor, emphasized the state’s support for the initiative as a certified pre-apprenticeship program.
The construction sector remains a critical driver of Maine’s infrastructure investment. With aging buildings, rising demand for housing, and ongoing workforce retirements, Maine employers continue to face a shortage of skilled workers. By offering free access to training, the Construction Academy seeks not just to fill jobs, but to help workers establish lasting careers in the trades.
These programs are expected to serve adults seeking new job skills, career changes, or pathways to high-wage technical trades, while helping to stabilize Maine’s construction market in the years ahead.
Originally reported by NEWS CENTER Maine Staff in News Center Maine.
