The people of Eastern Maine embody the spirit of Yankee ingenuity, problem solving, and productivity. The population is about 321,000 over a geographic area the size of Connecticut. People commute about 40 miles on average. Bucksport is located in the center of a labor force triangle. With Bangor, Belfast, and Ellsworth all within 18 miles, Bucksport has a 25-mile LMA of over 103,000, which is larger than any one of those communities alone.

Maine people in general take an uncommon level of pride in their work, are honest and productive, and are motivated to keep learning and improving their performance. Put these exceptional employees to work for you.

Recruitment & Training Assistance
Many programs exist in and around Bucksport to help employers with job training and recruitment. In town, the Training & Development Corporation provides exemplary workforce recruitment and training services. Many other nearby schools and institutions provide training as well, including:

• N.E. School of Communication (NESCOMM)
• Penbay Computer Systems
• Maine Career Advantage
• Northeast Business Support & Training
• Training & Development Corporation

Higher Education Centers
In today’s information age, employers and employees alike need to be able to continually renew their knowledge and skills in order to stay competitive. Fortunately, there are a variety of excellent schools, colleges, and training programs to help keep people in Bucksport’s 25-mile DMA on the cutting edge.

Bucksport High School provides students with basic and advanced training to meet the growing challenges of today’s workplace. Educational and training institutes around Bucksport provide businesses with a fresh, well-educated, and well-trained workforce. The University of Maine provides a complete array of undergraduate and graduate programs to meet the needs of Maine businesses, and the technical colleges located throughout Eastern Maine can provide businesses with specialized training courses.

Local institutions of higher learning include:

• University of Maine (Nearby campuses in Orono, Bangor, Ellsworth, and Belfast.)
• Eastern Maine Community College
• Maine Maritime Academy
• College of the Atlantic
• Husson College
• Beal College
• Unity College

Eligible Businesses:
Any employer that is incurring work force training costs related to unique circumstances such as expansion, retention, or upgrading issues. The employer must:

• Pay wages equal to 85% of the average wage for that occupation in the given labor market.
• Contribute at least 50% of the premium cost of employee health insurance, except for small companies with fewer than 25 employees and in business less than three years.

Program Summary
Partial reimbursement of training costs may be provided to employers who are hiring new employees, and/or retaining or upgrading their existing work force. Training services eligible for reimbursement include: Recruitment, Assessment, Job Task Analysis, Workplace Literacy, High Performance Skills, Technical Training, Higher Education, On-the-Job Training, Workplace Safety, and Competitive Retooling.

Maine Quality Centers
Through the state’s technical colleges, the Maine Quality Centers program provides education and training for new employees, as well as customized recruitment and fast-track training designed to employer specifications.

Eligible Businesses
New or expanding firms creating a minimum of eight (8) new full-time jobs with benefits in the state of Maine.

Program Summary
This program provides 100% state-financed education and training for new employees, as well as customized recruitment and guaranteed, fast-track training designed to employer specifications. This program is offered at no cost to the company or trainees, and is delivered by the state’s technical colleges.

If you’re considering moving your business to the Bucksport area and would like more information about these or other area educational institutions, call the Bucksport Office of Economic Development at 207.469.7368 or email us. We’ll see that you get the information you need.