Maine § 3303. - Industry clusters

§ 3303.. Industry clusters

1.  Specific industry clusters.  The collaborative shall work with businesses, industry associations and organizations, workforce and economic development agencies, the State Workforce Development Board established in section 2006 and the boards of the local workforce investment areas designated pursuant to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Public Law 113-128 and economic development entities to define specific industry clusters based on the following criteria:

A. Statistics showing the competitiveness of an industry cluster;   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

B. Importance to the State's or a region's economic development;   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

C. Identification of supply and distribution chains within an industry;   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

D. Research studies on industry clusters; and   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

E. Existing industry partnerships such as those of the health care workforce and associations of manufacturers.   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

2.  Targeted industry clusters.  The collaborative shall work with state and regional workforce and economic development agencies, with input from regional business and labor leaders, to identify which industry clusters are targeted for workforce and economic development investments based primarily on the following activities:

A. Economic growth potential;   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

B. Competitiveness;   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

C. Employment base;   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

D. Wages, benefits and career opportunities;   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

E. Importance of the industry cluster to the state and regional economies; and   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

F. Workforce development needs.   [PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. FFFFF, §1 (NEW).]

3.  Evaluation of clusters.  Once during every 3-year period, the collaborative shall contract with an independent research organization to evaluate the industry clusters as to their importance to the State’s economy and determine the need for any changes to the targeted industry clusters.

4.  Annual report.  The collaborative shall issue a report annually that includes information and statistics on the targeted industry clusters, including labor market information highlighting the targeted industry clusters. The report, which must be presented to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic development matters, must include an occupational analysis of employment and wages within the targeted industry clusters.

5.  High-priority occupations list.  The Center for Workforce Research and Information annually shall publish a list of high-priority occupations, which are those occupations that have been:

A. Identified by the Center for Workforce Research and Information as providing opportunity for employment in jobs with high compensation;   [PL 2017, c. 110, §30 (NEW).]

B. Recommended by the State Workforce Development Board established in section 2006; and   [PL 2025, c. 154, §12 (AMD).]

C. Approved by the Governor or the Governor's designee.   [PL 2017, c. 110, §30 (NEW).]