An Act To Establish the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative in the Department of Education To Lower Barriers to Career Advancement
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1329
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, CLOUTIER, CUDDY, RIELLY, TEPLER, BAILEY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §8601-A, 20-A MRSA §8614

Legislative Document
No. 1329
H.P. 981
House of Representatives, March 30, 2021
An Act To Establish the Career Advancement and Navigation 
Initiative in the Department of Education To Lower Barriers to 
Career Advancement
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Cosponsored by Representatives: CLOUTIER of Lewiston, CUDDY of Winterport, RIELLY 
of Westbrook, TEPLER of Topsham, Senator: BAILEY of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §8601-A, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
1-A.  Adult education hub.  "Adult education hub" or "hub" means a group of local 
adult education providers located within a geographic area specified by the commissioner.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §8601-A, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:
2-B.  Career advancement and navigation specialist.  "Career advancement and 
navigation specialist" or "specialist" means a person employed by the department under the 
initiative to help participants access education and training and obtain employment.
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §8601-A, sub-§4-A is enacted to read:
4-A.  Initiative.  "Initiative" means the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative 
established in section 8614.
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §8601-A, sub-§6-A is enacted to read:
6-A.  Office.  "Office" means the office within the department that coordinates adult 
education programs and services.
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §8601-A, sub-§7-A is enacted to read:
7-A.  Participant.  "Participant" means an individual participating in or receiving 
services through the initiative.
Sec. 6.  20-A MRSA §8614 is enacted to read:
§8614.  Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative
The Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative is established in the department to 
provide educational and career guidance, support and services to help underemployed and 
unemployed individuals acquire education, skills, licensure or other preparation needed to 
participate to their fullest potential in the workforce.
1. Administration.  The office shall administer the initiative through career 
advancement and navigation specialists employed by the department. The office shall 
collect and analyze aggregate data about participants, including, but not limited to, 
participant demographics, engagement in classes, trainings and other services accessed 
directly or by referral under the initiative and employment outcomes following 
participation.
2.  Career advancement and navigation specialist duties.  Career advancement and 
navigation specialists shall collaborate and partner with public and private sector entities 
to develop and implement the initiative and shall deliver and coordinate services for 
participants through adult education hubs in accordance with this subsection.  Duties of 
career advancement and navigation specialists include, but are not limited, to: 
A.  Collaborating with the department, the office and other state agencies, including, 
but not limited to, the Department of Labor, the Department of Professional and 
Financial Regulation, the Department of Economic and Community Development and 
the Department of Health and Human Services, to develop a program or set of programs 
to serve the needs of participants and carry out the purposes of this section;
B.  Creating partnerships with private employers and industry-specific trade 
associations in the State including, but not limited to, employers and associations in 
industries identified by the Department of Labor as paying high wages or having high 
workforce demand, and collaborating with these private sector partners to:
(1) Identify the employer and industry-specific workforce needs and corresponding 
skills, including job skills, academic skills and English language proficiency 
required by employers in the State; and
(2) Design appropriate training classes to address identified needs, which may 
include, but are not limited to, training in workplace culture, on-site training or 
other vocational training elements, and contextualized skills or industry-specific 
English language acquisition instruction;
C.  Creating partnerships with state and local government agencies or other 
organizations that provide employment and workforce services and support to address 
participants' needs related to occupational licensure and credentialing;
D. Providing direct services and assistance to participants, including, but not limited 
to: 
(1) Guidance and assistance accessing appropriate education and training to 
prepare for entry into gainful employment within 12 to 24 months of the beginning 
of the education or training. Such training may include intensive workforce 
preparation classes that cover habits of work, workplace culture and basic skills 
necessary to obtain, maintain and advance in employment;
(2) Assessment, career planning and case management services, including services 
to assess participants' education and training levels, qualifications, skill sets, 
credentials, work experience, work-readiness and English language proficiency;
(3) Assistance for participants who have limited English language proficiency or 
who are foreign-educated, foreign-trained or foreign-experienced workers to 
facilitate: 
(a) Enrollment in English language acquisition instruction, including industry-
specific English language and vocabulary classes to meet the needs both of 
initiative participants and of employers; and
(b) Obtaining English translations and equivalency evaluations of educational 
credentials, references and other evidence of skills, training and experience 
acquired abroad; and
E. Referring participants to legal aid services to address any legal issues that pose 
barriers to workforce participation and employment, when appropriate.
3. Service areas. The initiative, through the career advancement and navigation 
specialists, must serve participants and adult education programs in specific geographic 
service areas in accordance with this subsection. 
A. During the first 2 years of the initiative, the career advancement and navigation 
specialists shall serve participants in adult education hubs associated with the following 
areas: 
(1) Kennebec County;
(2) Androscoggin County and Oxford County;
(3) Lincoln County, Knox County, Sagadahoc County and Waldo County; and
(4) York County.
If the needs for adult education hubs shift from the geographic areas listed during this 
period, the resources and services of the initiative must be aligned to serve regions 
where the need is greatest; and 
B. In the 3rd and subsequent years of the initiative, the department may expand the 
initiative to serve additional adult education programs or adult education hubs, beyond 
those specified in paragraph A, to meet the needs of the State.
4.  Rules.  The commissioner shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section.  
Rules adopted to carry out the purposes of this section are routine technical rules as defined 
in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 7.  Report.  The Commissioner of Education shall prepare and submit a report 
to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and 
cultural affairs no later than November 4, 2022, regarding the Career Advancement and 
Navigation Initiative established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 8614.  
The report must include, but is not limited to: information regarding the services, trainings 
and referrals provided by career advancement and navigation specialists employed by the 
Department of Education; aggregate data regarding individuals participating in the 
initiative, participating employers, employment opportunities and employment placements 
of participants under this initiative; and an evaluation of programs and services most 
effective in carrying out the purposes of Title 20-A, section 8614.  The joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural affairs may 
report out a bill to the First Regular Session of the 131st Legislature to expand or amend 
the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative based upon the report.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the Career Advancement and Navigation Initiative within the 
Department of Education to provide educational and career guidance, support and services 
to help underemployed and unemployed individuals acquire additional education, skills, 
licensure or other preparation needed to participate to their fullest potential in the 
workforce.  The bill also requires the Commissioner of Education to submit a report to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education and cultural 
affairs no later than November 4, 2022, regarding the initiative.