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Volume 1, Issue 8
July 27, 2012
In This Issue
Fair Outreach
New Workforce Website
Nathan Cohen Award

NMDC and APP outreach extends to the Northern Maine Fair   

 

    PRESQUE ISLE - Nearly 144,000 people attended the Northern Maine Fair in 2011. An opportunity to reach that many people in a short period of time is why for the past five years the Northern Maine Development Commission has staffed a booth at the fairgrounds and will again this year when the fair begins Friday, July 27.

   Judy Dinsmore, executive coordinator at NMDC, is responsible for organizing, setting up and finding folks to staff the display.

   "My main interest is getting the word out about tourism and the programs at NMDC, hoping to find individuals who want to start a business, or need help obtaining funding for their business," said Dinsmore.

Judy Dinsmore
NMDC's Judy Dinsmore staffs a trade show booth.

   This year in addition to the tourism and general NMDC information, efforts of the Aroostook Partnership for Progress will also be included in the display, specifically information about biomass and renewable energy.

   "Biomass is extremely important for Aroostook County," said Bob Dorsey, president of APP. "Our presence at the fair allows us to highlight the tremendous economic benefits of biomass to the region."

   The booth, located in the commercial exhibition hall, will be staffed with NMDC employees and members of the Aroostook County Tourism committee. Dinsmore will also be stopping by the display from time to time.

   "I enjoy meeting people and learning of their concerns and needs in hopes I can send them our way for information and possibly business counseling, etc," she said.

   The 158th Northern Maine Fair and Music Festival gets underway July 27 and runs until Aug. 4. More information on the fair can be found on www.northernmainefairgrounds.com. 


   Nichole Jamison receives the Nathan Cohen Award at the annual meeting of the Aroostook Washington County Workforce Investment Board in Lubec. With Jamison are, from left: Jeanne Paquette, deputy commissioner of MDOL; Ryan Pelletier, executive director Aroostook Washington WIB; Jamison; and Barry McCrum, chairman Aroostook Washington WIB.



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WIB Website

New website for Workforce Investment Board  

 

   CARIBOU - The Aroostook and Washington County Workforce Investment Board have launched a new website to better inform the public and business about programs, contacts and successes of the organization.

   Workforce Investment Boards (or WIBs) are regional entities created to implement the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 through local partnerships and public sector participants that provide planning, guidance and oversight for all workforce readiness programs in their designated area.

   The new website, www.northeastworkforce.org, will feature the organization's weekly reports, minutes from board meetings, program and partner links and information about the organization.

   Ryan Pelletier, director of economic and workforce development at Northern Maine Development Commission, said this site will also focus on the people the WIB initiatives have served.

   "If you look at the banner at the top of the webpage you will see pictures of our actual participants who have signed releases for their stories to be told," said Pelletier. "What we really hope people take away from this website is our programs actually do make a difference in people's lives."

   One of the peopled highlighted is a single father who was laid off. At the Career Center he found out about assistance, both tuition and child care, which allowed him to take the wind energy tech program at Northern Maine Community College and now he graduated and is employed in the wind energy industry.

   Pelletier said the website will fill a real need for the organization.

   "It's important that the Workforce Investment Board have its own presence on the web, we are affiliated with NMDC and other partners, such as the Career Centers and Department of Labor, but we want to have our own identity so people know about workforce training opportunities in both Washington and Aroostook counties," he said. "I think when someone goes to the website they will see policy directives coming from the Workforce Investment Board to target those training dollars to specific needs of the job seekers are really being directed by a board of business leaders from Aroostook and Washington counties who understand the needs of employees in the region and I think have a better handle on the needs of the region than an organization say in southern Maine or out of state."

   Barry McCrum, chairman of the Local Workforce Board envisions www.northeastworkforce.org to be a clearing house of all WIB activities.

    "What we are trying to do is design it so that the content on the site is going to feature what we are doing at that time, so it will be easy for staff to upload new information and put it in one warehouse, so to speak," he said.

   The site in time will also become less document heavy and more interactive, one plan in the works is to use GIS (geographic information system) mapping on the website to better show where and who is using WIB programs.

    Content will be added to the site in the next few weeks. 

Jamison receives
Nathan Cohen Award


   LUBEC - A lifelong resident of Washington County has been honored as the Nathan Cohen Award recipient for 2012.

   Nichole Jamison was given the award July 24 at the Aroostook Washington County Workforce Investment Board annual meeting held in Lubec.

   "It is a true honor to even be associated with the name Nate Cohen, given his immeasurable commitment to workforce development and his tireless efforts for the people of Washington County," said Jamison. "I am so fortunate to do the work I do and to be a part of the fantastic staff here at Washington County CareerCenters and the Maine Department of Labor."

   Jamison is the CareerCenter manager and has worked for the Department of Labor for nearly 20 years.

   The Nathan Cohen Award is presented annually to a person or organization that exhibits enthusiasm, dedication and resourcefulness in providing services to the community. Cohen served as mayor of Eastport, was appointed twice to the governor's council and served as the Washington County representative on the Department of Labor's Private Industry Council. He also served as a member of the board of directors of the Aroostook Washington County Workforce Investment Board.