AUGUSTA, Maine - The Center for Workforce Research and Information (CWRI), part of the Maine Department of Labor, has released Maine Workforce Outlook, 2012 to 2022 (http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/publications/pdf/Maine_Workforce_Outlook_2012_to_2022.pdf ). The report provides a broad view of expected workforce trends to 2022. The report is complimented by in-depth data on the CWRI website at http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/outlook.html.
Job growth is expected to slow significantly as baby boomers age to retirement and smaller numbers of young people come of age to enter the labor force. Advances in technology at work and home will continue to provide the means to do old things better, faster and less expensively and to do new things that, not long ago, few imagined could be done.
"This report highlights the need for Maine to continue economic reforms that will help us address our
demographic and workforce challenges," said Governor Paul R. LePage. "As technology changes, the skills workers need change. We are taking the needed steps now to reform our economy, reform and expand our workforce development programs, attract new workers and connect all workers with the skills employers need to ensure Maine remains globally competitive."
Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette stated, "This report underscores our continuing efforts to connect people who are out of work or underemployed, including people on welfare and people with disabilities, with the skills in demand by our employers now and in the coming decade. Our goal is to connect every Mainer who wants to work with a good paying job and give them continuous opportunities to develop their skills; this improves workers' ability to move up their career ladder and provides employers with a pipeline of skilled workers. Meeting our workforce challenges is a priority for the Department of Labor."
The report indicates that employment will continue to shift away from production of goods to providing services, with nearly all net growth in the education and healthcare, professional and business services and leisure and hospitality sectors. The reallocation of jobs across industries has major implications for the types of occupations that will be available. Though most jobs currently do not require education beyond high school, most job growth is expected in occupations that do require a degree or some form of post-secondary credential or certification.
The nature of work increasingly will demand higher levels of literacy and more sophisticated technology competencies. Performance attributes of jobs will increasingly be concentrated around critical thinking, problem solving, reading comprehension, effective communication and decision making with less concentration around handling and moving objects, controlling machines and clerical functions.
The information in the report provides important insights for young people planning a career path, laid-off or underemployed workers seeking re-employment in a new field of work and education institutions developing and revising curriculum.
Interactive charts at http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/outlook.html allow users to drill down to detailed projections for industries and occupations and provide much greater detail than the report.
CWRI, part of the Maine Department of Labor, develops and disseminates state and area labor market information to assist in making decisions that promote economic opportunity and efficient use of the state's labor resources. The full report can be accessed on the CWRI website at http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/pubs.html .
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