The Hospitality Gap- Connecting Leading Employers and Educators. April 1st, 2016 at Maple Hill Farm Inn and Conference Center. This is Julie Chase of SMCC's presentation related to the resources in workforce investment available to employers and employees in the hospitality and tourism industry.

1. A bit of context…The Peter A. McKernan
Hospitality Center
• The center offers a quintessential Maine
venue for events of up to 110 guests
with 8 guestrooms.
• The building is used as a training facility
for the students in the SMCC Culinary
Arts and Hospitality Management
programs.
• There are two private conference rooms
for smaller groups.

4. Maine’s Community Colleges
• Customized training developed and delivered for specific
business partners either on-site at their businesses or at area
Maine Community Colleges
• Aptitude testing and needs assessment options
• Targeted training for industry certifications, credit and/or non-
credit
• Variety of funding opportunities

5. Funding:
Maine Quality Centers – NEW HIRES
 State-funded grants for expansion-related, customized new-
hire training delivered by the Maine Community College
System
 Customized workforce training at no cost to businesses or
trainees
 Recruitment assistance
 Pre and/or post hire training
 Access to facilities, labs & equipment

6. Funding: Maine Quality Centers
Incumbent Workforce Training
 MQC funding can now help upgrade the skills of your existing
workforce.
 Maine Employment for Grant Limits:
 1-50 employees 100% funding
 51- 100 employees 75% funding
 101+ employees 50% funding

7. Funding: Put Me To Work Program
 This new public-private partnership funds 50% of start-up costs
to create new training programs or enhance existing ones at
Maine’s community colleges.
 The goal: to support the needs of local business and industry
for skilled workers.

8. Recent Hospitality Training:
Funding Examples
 College based application to supplement the Portland Jobs
Alliance – entry level hospitality training with multiple
certifications. (Award winning project with the Greater Portland
Council of Governments with multiple partners including
Portland Adult Education, USM, CEI, Preble Street Resource
Center, Catholic Charities and many area hotels and inns!)
 Industry partnership application with the Maine Innkeepers
Association for incumbent workers – “Hospitality Rising Stars
Academy”, included college credit and certification! Trained
employees at the Nonantum Resort and the Dunes on the
Waterfront.