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Small Business Partnerships
The Consortia Approach
How MQC Works |
Maine's economy is comprised of many small- to medium-sized businesses — businesses that often expand one or two jobs at a time. It is often not practical to create a customized training program for this kind of expansion, but the Maine Quality Centers program offers a flexible way to help these businesses grow.
Through a "consortia" approach, the program brings together two or more small companies with similar workforce needs. Company representatives work with community college staff to design a recruitment strategy and a curriculum that meets everyone's specifications. Once the training is complete, the member companies interview trainees for open positions.
About a third of businesses served by MQC are small or |
This approach has been successfully utilized for companies in the metals, composites, and automotive industries.
Examples of successful partnerships include:
- CISCO Consortia — two projects offering certified CISCO network training: one serving employers in western Maine, and one in southern Maine, both reaching businesses from a variety of industries
- Critical Care Consortia — serving hospitals in northern Maine
- Maine Composite Alliance Consortia — serving boatbuilding and marine manufacturers in coastal and central Maine
- Metal Trades/Precision Manufacturing — two projects serving precision manufacturers: one in central Maine and one in southern Maine
- Social Services Consortia — serving social service and mental health organizations in southern and mid-coast Maine
- Surgical Tech Consortia — two projects: one serving hospitals in the Bangor/Pen Bay region, and one serving hospitals in northern Maine
- Rapid Prototype CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) Consortia — serving employers in western, southern and coastal Maine , reaching various industries
- Northern Maine Trucking Consortia — serving transport companies in northern Maine