WESTBROOK, ME – This morning at IDEXX Laboratories in Westbrook, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined with Educate Maine and industry partners to officially launch Maine’s designation as a TechHire region through Educate Maine’s Project>Login.

The designation, which was announced by the White House earlier this month, will allow participating businesses in Maine to receive national resources and in-kind services from LinkedIn, LaunchCode, and other businesses to help recruit candidates and match them with positions more efficiently in IT and tech-related industries. The TechHire campaign aims to expand the network of computing and IT professionals in Maine through engagement, education, and employment opportunities.

            “Maine’s designation as a national TechHire region is a recognition of the great work being done across our state to promote careers of the future,” said Senator King, a government partner of the TechHire initiative. “This designation will not only help equip people with the education and skills necessary to thrive in new, cutting-edge jobs, but it will also strengthen Maine’s vibrant tech workforce and grow our economy. I applaud Educate Maine and all of the TechHire partners across our state for their work in matching hardworking Mainers to advanced jobs that will position our state as a leader in IT for years to come.”

During today’s event, Senator King met TechHire industry partners and went behind the scenes to meet with successful professionals at IDEXX who had followed non-traditional pathways to their current jobs.

The White House designated Maine as a TechHire region after several Maine-based employers committed to recruiting and hiring qualified candidates regardless of where they obtained their digital knowledge and technical experience. Prior to the White House announcement, Senator King and Senator Susan Collins wrote a letter to the National Economic Council in support of Maine’s application to be a TechHire Region. 

In addition to IDEXX, several Maine employers have already signed on to the TechHire initiative by pledging to hire candidates and offer paid internships, including: Axiom Technologies; Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems; The Jackson Laboratory; Kepware; Maine Health/Maine Medical Center; State of Maine Office of Information Technology Tyler Technologies, Inc.; and WEX.

Educate Maine is a business-led education advocacy organization, and its mission is to champion college and career readiness and increased education attainment for all Maine people. The organization’s goal is that all of Maine’s K-12 students will graduate from high school prepared for success in postsecondary education and the workplace.  Educate Maine's Project>Login is a nonpartisan public-private partnership charged with expanding the network of computing and IT professionals in Maine. Project>Login captures and presents material about computing and information technology, from education to internships to jobs, helping to fill in-demand tech positions and leverage available resources. Launched in March 2013, the project is a partnership between several Maine-based employers, the University of Maine System, and the State of Maine. Educate Maine has since expanded the program, incorporating new sponsors from the business and education communities.

###