Maine has a problem that most states would envy on paper but that creates a genuine economic urgency: it is one of the most beautiful, livable, and economically resilient states in the country, and young people keep leaving. With a median age of 45 — the oldest in the nation, well above the national median of 39 — Maine cannot afford to lose another generation of talent. Engaging and training young people isn’t a policy aspiration; it’s an economic survival strategy. That reality is central to why Maine was selected as one of ten states in the Apprenticeship America cohort of the federally funded Future Ready Apprenticeship Center.

A Proven Track Record, and a Gap to Close

Maine has done serious, sustained work on apprenticeship — and it shows. In 2019, 757 registered apprentices, or 26% of the total, were ages 16–24. By 2025, that number had more than doubled to 1,591, representing 42% of all apprentices statewide. This growth didn’t happen by chance. In 2021, Governor Janet Mills directed more than $12 million in American Rescue Plan funds to expand the Maine Apprenticeship Program statewide, resulting in a 35% increase in registered apprentices and 72 new certified pre-apprenticeship programs. The legislature followed with a dedicated General Fund line for the program in 2023, codifying it in statute and providing a more stable funding foundation.

The Maine Apprenticeship Program (MAP) now oversees a system with controls designed to ensure each apprentice participates in a high-quality program with required components such as supervision and wage increases. In 2025 alone, MAP conducted 33 quality assurance reviews — advancing programs, supporting those that needed technical assistance, and ensuring all met both state and federal standards. Certified pre-apprenticeship programs require industry alignment, safety training, supportive services, and a direct pathway into registered apprenticeship. Maine has aggressively implemented  pre-apprenticeship policies such as certified pre-apprenticeship programs that ensure direct entry into Registered Apprenticeship.

But Maine is candid about where the system falls short: progress has outpaced the infrastructure needed to sustain and coordinate it. Strong innovation is happening in pockets — construction, manufacturing, healthcare, education — but the state lacks a consistent set of benchmarks applicable to all industries and a coherent statewide strategy for employer engagement and youth recruitment.

The Small Business Problem

One of Maine’s most distinctive challenges is structural. Ninety-nine percent of Maine businesses employ fewer than 200 workers. That means most employers simply don’t have the capacity to administer an apprenticeship program on their own — they lack the HR infrastructure, the legal familiarity, and the bandwidth to manage related technical instruction and compliance. Intermediary sponsors are not just helpful in Maine; they are essential.

Organizations like Educate Maine, the largest cross-sector intermediary in the state, and the Associated General Contractors of Maine, the largest intermediary in construction, are carrying much of this load. The AFL-CIO supports barriered populations. Bath Iron Works anchors manufacturing. MaineHealth is building youth pre-apprenticeship in healthcare. These partners are doing important work — but demand from youth is already exceeding available placements in some CTE centers, and the intermediary capacity needed to scale hasn’t kept pace.

The state will focus on expanding the role of intermediaries as a core strategy, building models that smaller employers can access without having to become apprenticeship administrators themselves. That is the path to scale in a state where most businesses are built for doing, not for building workforce systems.

A Governor’s Commitment

Governor Mills has made her support explicit. In her letter backing Maine’s application, she noted the investment in apprenticeship through the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan and expressed her commitment to using this opportunity to reach further, particularly for rural and underserved youth. Apprenticeship, she wrote, advances the state’s priorities to strengthen its workforce, expand equitable access to meaningful career pathways, and build a resilient, competitive economy for the next generation.

That cross-agency commitment is real. Apprenticeship is embedded in Maine’s 10-Year Economic Development Strategy, the state’s Climate Action Plan, and multiple workforce and education frameworks. Agencies from the Department of Labor to the Department of Health and Human Services to the Governor’s Energy Office all participate in apprenticeship system-building, and Maine has a track record of turning that alignment into results.

“Maine is a state where the case for youth apprenticeship is almost self-evident — the demographics are stark, the need is urgent, and the existing programs are genuinely strong,” said Ryan Gensler, Executive Vice President at CareerWise. “What the Apprenticeship America cohort brings is the system-design expertise to stitch those programs into something coherent and scalable, especially in rural communities where intermediaries have to do the heavy lifting that larger employers can do themselves.”

Joan Dolan, Director of the Maine Apprenticeship Program at the Maine Department of Labor, put it in terms that are simple and ambitious at once: “We’re excited to participate in the Center because youth apprenticeship has the power to reshape Maine’s workforce future. By connecting young people with real, hands‑on learning in high‑demand fields, we’re helping them build confidence, skills, and a clear pathway to opportunity. This work strengthens our communities, supports local employers, and ensures that Maine’s next generation can thrive right here at home.”

The Vision: A Fourth Option

Maine has set a clear ambition for what this cohort participation will help it build. Right now, every graduating senior in Maine understands that after high school they can go to college, join the military, or go to work. Most don’t know there is a fourth option: enter a registered apprenticeship program — or start one while still in high school. Maine’s goal is that every 16-to-24-year-old, and every parent, educator, and guidance counselor in their circle, understands and considers that option.

Achieving that will require more than awareness. It will require more CTE centers connected to apprenticeship pathways, more intermediaries equipped to support small employers, and a statewide system with clear governance, shared accountability, and equitable access for rural communities, tribal communities, and youth with disabilities or other barriers to employment.

Maine is ready to build it. The Apprenticeship America cohort is how it gets there.

Learn more about the Future Ready Apprenticeship Center and the Apprenticeship America cohort in our press release.