A Guide for Maine Workers and their Families:
Education and training--what are my options?

Guide Contents

Contents of this page
5.1 I want to improve my reading skills
5.2 I want to get a High School diploma
5.3 I want to go to college
5.4 I have a disability: Can Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) help me get training?
5.5 What education and training assistance can I get at the Maine Department of Labor CareerCenters?
5.6 Do you want to start your own business?

To learn more about what help is available for education and job training, call:

Maine Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC):
Voice: 1 (800) 281-3703

Education or training can be the key to higher paying, more satisfying work. But going back to school as an adult can seem overwhelming. You’re probably worried about how you will pay for it and how you will squeeze it into your busy life. Juggling school with the rest of your life can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it on your own.

Whether your goal is to improve your reading skills, get a high school degree, or enroll in a training program, a community college, the university system, or a private college, help is available.

Where to get help, if…

5.1 I want to improve my reading skills

Do you, or someone you know, have trouble reading? Is English not your first language? Would you like to improve your English skills? Literacy Volunteers of Maine can help.

Find a program near you:

Contact one of the 14 listed local Literacy Volunteers offices.

Call the Adult Learning Opportunities Hotline
Voice: 1 (800) 322-5455.

There is more Adult Education Program contact information in the next section on high school diplomas.

5.2 I want to get a high school diploma

If you didn’t finish high school and you want to get an Adult High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED), contact the Adult Education Program in your local school district. The staff there can help you figure out what courses and tests you will need to take. The courses and tests will be free.

Visit the Adult Education Program website to find a location close to you, or call your school district.

Find a GED testing center in your area. Be sure to call the local center to confirm the date and hour the test will be given.

If you don’t know how to contact the local program, call:

Adult Learning Opportunities Hotline:
Voice (toll-free): 1 (800) 322-5455

Adult Education Division of the Maine Department of Education:
Voice: (207) 624-6750.

5.3 I want to go to college

• The Maine Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC) helps people choose a college and put together a financial aid package. MEOC has centers all over the state. The staff at MEOC can:
  • Help you develop an educational plan that will work for you in one of their college planning workshops;
  • Provide information about college options, including the University of Maine System, private colleges, the Maine Community College System, and University College;
  • Work with you to help you figure out how to get help to pay your school related expenses; and
  • Guide you through the application process and work with you while you are in school.

  To contact the Maine Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC):

  Call (toll-free) 1 (800) 281-3703 (office hours: 9:00 to 4:30, Monday through Friday). They will set up an appointment for you to meet with a MEOC staff member at a location in your area (often at the local CareerCenter).

  Find out more about MEOC and learn about financial aid options on their website

• Parents as Scholars (PaS) is a student aid program that helps low-income parents attend 2- or 4-year college programs. Parents who are eligible for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (more about TANF) may also be eligible for PaS. PaS is run by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) through the ASPIRE Program.

  The kinds of assistance available from PaS include monthly cash assistance to help with living expenses; supportive services, such as child care, transportation reimbursement, car repairs, auto liability insurance, eye care, dental care, books, and supplies; clothing and uniforms; and, when financial aid is not available, assistance with tuition and fees. There are special rules for families dealing with disabilities or domestic violence issues to help them to succeed in the PaS program.

  You can apply for the PaS program at your local DHHS office. They need to tell you in writing if you are accepted in the PaS program. If they say you can’t be in the program, you can appeal that decision. Information on how to appeal should be on the back of the notice.

  For more information, you can call Maine Equal Justice at 1 (866) 626-7059. Maine Equal Justice has an online informational booklet about the PaS program, or you can call to request a copy.

Other college options

• The University of Maine System has 7 universities and 11 regional outreach centers (the University College centers). Visit their website to find detailed information about each of the 7 campuses, including contact information, classes and degrees available, tuition expenses, financial aid, and information about the application process and timeline.

• University College, part of the University of Maine System, is for people who aren’t able to take courses at one of the University of Maine campuses. University College offers university courses and programs at 11 University College Centers in more than 75 community locations (often high schools) around the state, as well as online. Personalized support services are offered to both new and advanced students, including assistance with admission and financial aid, placement tests, course registration, book orders, the online library catalog, computer conferencing, and setting up e-mail accounts.

  

  Contact Maine University College:
  Voice: (toll-free): 1 (800) 868-7000

• Maine Community College System (MCCS) has seven colleges and seven off-campus centers around the state. More than 300 courses are offered in 1- and 2-year programs to start a career, or for transfer to a 4-year baccalaureate program. Many courses are available online.

  

  Contact the Maine Community College System’s admissions office at the college nearest you:
  Voice: (207) 629-4000

Financial aid options

Federal Student Aid Programs can provide assistance in the form of grants (Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, loans (Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loans, and Direct Loans), and College Work Study. You can learn more about these programs at your local Adult Education Program, through MEOC, or at the admissions office at your local Maine Community College or University College Center or from one of the resources listed below:

• Maine Education Services (MES)
• Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)
• FinAid (financial aid information, advice, and tools)
• Sallie Mae (student loan provider)
• FastWeb (scholarship search service)

Call or visit a guidance counselor from your local high school for a list of local scholarships. Adult students may qualify for some of these scholarships.

5.4 I have a disability. Can Vocational Rehabilitation help me get training?

If you have a disability that keeps you from getting or keeping a job, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) in the Maine Department of Labor may be able to help. If you are found eligible for DVR services, you will be assigned a DVR Counselor who will help you prepare for, find, and keep a job. The services you get will depend on your needs and may include:

• Help identifying career opportunities based on your interests and skills and development of an Individualized Plan of Employment;
• Help identifying the job training you will need to achieve your job goal and, in some cases, developing a special training program to meet your needs;
• Help with training and education costs (like tuition, room and board, books, child care, transportation, and/or special equipment related to your disability);
• Help looking for work;
• A job coach to provide support while you learn skills on the job.

To apply, call the DVR office nearest you. For local DVR contact information:

Maine Department of Labor
Voice: (207) 624-6400
TTY: 1 (800) 794-1110

5.5 What education and training assistance can I get at the Maine Department of Labor CareerCenters?

Maine’s CareerCenters are also called One-Stop Centers because they administer multiple programs to help people find work and to obtain education and training to upgrade their skills. Each CareerCenter operates a little differently, but generally you will always find job search resources and a computerized job-matching system.

If you are interested in training or an apprenticeship, ask to meet with an employment counselor. The CareerCenter may also put you in contact with on-the-job training or apprenticeships. If you are a veteran, you can also talk with a local veteran’s employment representative about the employment services available to you.

You can talk to an employment counselor about whether you are eligible for assistance through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA); the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP); or the federal Trade Adjustment Act (TAA) program.

• The Workforce Investment Act provides a variety of services, including job search resources, employment counseling, and education and training for low income people and dislocated workers. The Workforce Investment Act provides funds to help with things like tuition, day care, travel costs, books and supplies, and fees.
• The Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP) offers access to post-secondary degree or certificate programs for high wage jobs in industries that need skilled workers. A person is eligible for the Competitive Skills Scholarship if he or she:
• Is at least 18 years old;
• Does not have a marketable college degree;
• Has income that is less than 200% of the federal poverty level ($1,734/month for a single individual; $2,934 for a family of 3);
• Wants to enroll in education or training for jobs that are in high demand and pay family-sustaining wages; AND
• Has the ability to successfully complete the education or training program that they chose.

This program will help participants pay for educational costs and support services like child care, transportation, books and supplies not available from any other source. It also helps some very low-income participants with basic income support while in training. Demand is high for this new program and space is very limited. Check with your local CareerCenter to see if space in this program is available.


• The federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program provides training for workers who have lost their job or whose hours were reduced because of foreign imports. Eligible workers may receive up to 104 weeks of training in an approved occupational skills program, including a post-secondary educational program, basic or remedial education, or training in literacy or English as a second language.

  If you are eligible for the TAA Program, you can also qualify for:

  • Additional weeks of unemployment compensation;
  • A job search allowance to look for work outside your normal commuting area; and
  • A relocation allowance to help you move to a new area where you have found a new job.

For more information:

Maine Department of Labor CareerCenter

5.6 Do you want to start your own business?

Here are some education and training resources for people interested in starting their own business:

The Maine Enterprise Options (MEO) program at your local Maine Department of Labor CareerCenter
Voice (CareerCenter Helpline): 1 (888) 982-4311

Coastal Enterprise, Inc. (CEI)
Voice: 1 (877) 340-2649

Maine Centers for Women, Work and Community
Voice: 1 (800) 442-2092

Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
Voice: 1 (800) 679-7232

Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)
Voice: 1 (800) 872-3838

Contact your local University of Maine Cooperative Extension (central administration), Small and Home-Based Business Education Program
Voice: 1 (800) 287-0271
TDD: 1 (800) 287-8957

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
Voice: (207) 780-4420

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