Catching the Green Jobs Wave

Green jobs are the wave of the future -- and 16 Kennebec County young men and women are catching that wave this summer, thanks to LearningWorks' Kennebec County Green Jobs Training Corps.

With funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act administered through the Central/Western Maine Workforce Investment Board and the Maine Department of Labor, LearningWorks hired sixteen at-risk youth to train and work with qualified contractors to weatherize homes, build new construction to green built standards, and install alternative energy equipment. At the end of the summer, participants will have secured five national certifications and will hae logged 200 hours towards a credential that will put them at the cutting edge of an industry desperate for workers skilled in green building.

It's an exciting opportunity for these students, many of whom are low-income, high school dropouts, and have been homeless.

Empowering students through learning...

LearningWorks, formerly known as Portland West, is  focused on education. We provide English instruction to new immigrants & refugees, we provide one-on-one Literacy tutoring for adults, we provide an afterschool program at Reiche & East End Community Schools in Portland, we support motivated students in our Youth Building Alternatives high school in their pursuit of a GED and life-skills training, and we have a variety of programs to provide preventative skills and alternatives for teens involved in the Juvenile Justice system. Learn more on our programs page - and better yet - come visit. We'd love to show you our school in action!

LearningWorks salutes Volunteer of the Month Marcie Lister

Marcie Lister has been a volunteer with LearningWorks for two years. She is an English language tutor and was one of the first mentors to be matched in LearningWorks' mentor program.

Marcie enjoys working with people from different backgrounds and helping people learn more about American culture. "I feel strongly that in order to be successful in this country, you need to learn the language," she says.

One of the greatest challenges of volunteering, says Marcie, has been working with students for whom learning has been very difficult because of trauma or illiteracy or other reasons.

Marcie is a social worker who specializes in infertility and reproductive medicine. In her spare time, she might be found in English classes here or spending time exploring Portland with her mentee, Quinta.

For more information on volunteering, contact Jake at jdaly@learningworks.me.

Make a difference. LearningWorks is seeking mentors. Contact Jake Daly today!

Did you know Literacy Volunteers-Greater Portland is now part of LearningWorks? Interested in literacy tutoring? Find out more!

Upcoming Events

Wine Tasting to Benefit LearningWorks

Sunday, September 19, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Please join us on Sunday, September 19 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. for a 20/20 Wine Tasting event to benefit LearningWorks. For only a $20 ticket at the door, you will have a wonderful opportunity to sample 20 hand-crafted, rare California wines while supporting a great cause.

The event will be held at the Snow Squall Restaurant in South Portland. Come enjoy the restaurant's recent makeover and the marina views!

Cultivating Community Farmer's Market

Thursdays, 2:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Stop by LearningWorks at 181 Brackett St to visit our new Farmer's Market, produced by Cultivating Community. The market is also a drop off point for Cultivating Community's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. For more information on the market, click here. For more information on the CSA, click here.

Partners

We are Proud to Partner with:

» Day One

» Wayside Soup Kitchen

» Portland Museum of Art

» Habitat for Humanity

» Jobs for Maine’s Graduates

» Cultivating Community