MAINE’S SHIP COMES IN

The excellent news this week that Maine had received a $15 million federal grant over three years to help Brunswick and other coastal areas strengthen their economies is another opportunity for this state to develop its boat-building capacity. Maine has development advantages in relatively few industries. Marine products are among them.

The grant, called the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) initiative, comes from the U.S. Department of Labor and funds a state partnership known as The North Star Alliance as part of the competitiveness agenda discussed by President Bush in his State of the Union address.

The alliance includes businesses, research and development facilities, universities and state government. Its purpose is to expand composite-related industries in areas such as marine and waterfront infrastructure, boat building and construction and a range of other products. Brunswick is working on a recovery plan after losing its air station to the last base-closure round, but development of these fields is of statewide interest.

The North Star Alliance’s goal is to create 2,000 new jobs in advanced composites over the next several years. That will require a lot of education to prepare workers for these fields. And that means new ways of thinking about delivering courses in boat building to produce an able work force. Maine, of course, has the fine school for boat building in Washington County Community College. But the demand for workers suggests there is room for expanded programs elsewhere too.

The funding of $5 million a year to Maine is large enough to have a serious effect on the important and growing industry of advanced composites. But it’s also small enough

to be wasted, leaving Maine after three years with a task force report concluding the state needs more money. Both the administration and legislators should follow updates on this funding closely to ensure it has the desired impact.

Opportunities like this don’t come along often; Maine is poised to do great things in an industry where its reputation and products already shine.