Having $1.2 million in funding, Maine’s seven community colleges and some nonprofit organizations are planning to launch an initiative that will provide free courses for rural Mainers. These courses will help them take up jobs where remote work is common.
According to a news release on Thursday, The project “The Remote Work for ME” will launch the courses in January 2022. The main goal is to see more than 700 enrollments in the next three years.
A nonprofit guarantor of federal student loans, Ascendium Education Group, that is based in Wisconsin is providing a $535,000 grant to the Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges. The foundation’s contribution is $208,000. A funding of $400,000 is granted by the Maine Community College System while the John T. Gorman Foundation is also donating $75,000.
These free courses will be six to nine month long preparing Rural Mainers for remote jobs like medical transcription, customer service, IT support and financial services. A certificate course for supervisors is also on the list. This course is about how to lead a remote team and will help people get a remote job as a manager or supervisor.
There is no tuition fee for these courses. Scholarships will be available for computers, software and internet connectivity on a need basis.
“Over the years Maine has tried a variety of ways to bring jobs to rural communities. Through the advancement of technology, along with the support of employers, we can now connect urban-based companies with skilled workers working remotely. This is a win-win for both Maine employers and rural workers.” John Fitzsimmons, President of The Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges.
Most businesses are now either adopting a remote work model or a hybrid work model. This has led to an increase in the demand for remote job based training courses. According to a survey by Enterprise Technology Research, the number of permanent remote workers is expected to double in 2021.
“There is a cultural transformation taking place in the workplace. There is no turning back. Workers and employers saw what was possible during the pandemic, and for many of them remote work is not only possible, but preferable.”David Daigler, Maine Community College System President
“The Remote Work for ME” project looks promising. Rural Mainers can now look forward to these free courses and with the right training, they can secure a remote job for themselves.
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