The MaineLinks Newsletter

Weeks of May 6th and 13th, 2024

What to Know 

Most people think of their homes as one of the places they feel the safest. However, injuries at home are common, especially among children. Every year, millions of children are unintentionally injured in the home, and thousands of these children die or suffer severe disabilities. The important thing to remember is that most injuries can be prevented. Children are one of the groups most at risk of home-related injuries. Each year in the U.S. 2,300 children younger than 15 years die from unintentional injuries in the home. More than 3.4 million children experience an unintentional home-related injury each year. The Leading Causes of Childhood Injury in the Home are:

• Choking and Suffocation
• Drowning and Submersion
• Falls
• Fire & Burns
• Guns
• Poisoning

Veterans Corner

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays monthly disability benefits to qualifying veterans. Find out if you are eligible and how to file your claim.  You must have a current physical or mental illness or an injury that was caused or made worse by your active-duty service or training to qualify for benefits and evidence to support your claim. Review the VA's eligibility rules for receiving disability benefits. If you are eligible, the VA will assign you a disability rating based on the severity of your condition. This rating determines how much disability pay you can get each month.  If you need help you have the option to work with either an accredited attorney, an accredited claims agent, or a Veterans Service Officer (VSO).

Training Talk

A program at the University of New England has launched a technology-focused division, the School of Computer Science and Data Analytics. The new school is designed to meet the growing demand for professionals with skills in emerging technologies and to prepare Maine's students for the future of tech. The school will comprise UNE’s existing majors in applied mathematics and data science plus two new majors in computer science and statistics. There will also be coursework in computer architecture, software engineering and computational theory. Enrollment for the new majors will begin in the fall of 2025. The curriculum is intended to equip students with necessary skills for jobs across various fields, including health care, financial services, biotechnology, and cybersecurity. The school will also provide students with hands-on experience through internships.

Notable Quote:

“Spring is a reminder of how beautiful change can be.”

— Unknown

Hiring Events: (Click on the “Hiring Events” link for full list)

• 5/7—Cooke Aquaculture sponsored by the Machias CareerCenter
• 5/8—Career Systems Development sponsored by the Presque Isle CareerCenter
• 5/11—General Dynamics/Bath Iron Works hiring Event
• 5/15—Bowdoin College sponsored by the Brunswick CareerCenter
• 5/18—Better Employment Fair sponsored by Augusta Elks Lodge 964

Workshops: (click on the “Workshops“ link for more)

Pre-register online for these virtual opportunities:

• 5/9—Expand Your Horizons: A Primer on Exporting for Small Business
• 5/14—Making Career Choices
• 5/15—Maine JobLink: Creating & Navigating Your Job Seeker Account
• 5/16—Creating a Winning Resume by the Maine CareerCenter

CareerCorner –May: Pest Control Technician

Pest control technicians manage the elimination of pests from homes, businesses, and other properties. Responsibilities of a pest control technician include inspecting buildings for signs of infestation, placing traps, deploying chemical pesticides, ensuring safe handling of chemicals, and designing and maintaining pest management plans and systems. They must be able to bend, kneel, and crawl to determine points of entry by pests. Pest control technicians are generally expected to have a high school diploma or equivalent and must undergo on-the-job training.

And MORE!

Maine ranks at #10 as 2024’s Best States for Working Moms despite the ongoing challenge of affordable childcare. It's a daily struggle that affects families across the country, including here in Maine.   A fair amount of data was used to come up with this information that was based on 17 key metrics, including the median salary for women workers, the female unemployment rate, and daycare quality. A couple of the key factors for working moms were equitable pay and opportunities for career growth. |

Did you miss the last newsletter? Ensure you subscribe for more updates from the Maine Department of Labor.

Maine Department of Labor and Maine CareerCenters provide equal opportunity in employment and programs. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request.