The University of Maine System, which oversees the state’s public universities, will now accept credentials that high schoolers earn through the long-time Jobs for Maine Graduates program as course credits. University officials see the move as a way to boost college aspirations as universities face a decline in student enrollment.In Jobs for Maine Graduates, Maine high school students, who may face barriers to learning, work with specialists to develop their professional soft skills. Once students have mastered the skill, they will earn a credential, which students can now bank for college credit at a public university in Maine, starting this academic year.The Jobs for Maine Graduates program must meet college-level standards of learning to show that students have mastered the material. For instance, students must receive 10 or more hours of instructional time and complete assessments to show what they have learned, said Samantha Warren, the system spokesperson.
Faculty evaluated and accepted eight credentials for credit: leadership development, personal growth, entrepreneurial mindset, multicultural foundations, pathway navigation, job and career readiness, financial literacy, and digital literacy, according to Jobs for Maine Graduates.The move comes as the state continues to try to boost postsecondary enrollment after high school. Currently 60 percent of Maine students seek a postsecondary degree, according to state data. And only 55.5 percent of the state’s working-age population has completed a postsecondary degree or training program, according to MaineSpark, a coalition that aims to address workforce issues.
