Rural Students Train in Maine for Remote Careers

Working remotely was a topic that emerged as the pandemic progressed, and is still a point of discussion as the overall health situation improves. As employees and business owners all over the United States and the world had to pivot – including GrantWatch – remote work became a reality for many. Part of this had to with government regulations surrounding lockdowns and in-office restrictions.

Getting work done at home has been challenging for some, especially parents. Along with remote work came remote or virtual learning for many students, which caused issues for many of the students as well as their families. But for some people, remote work meant something different. It meant being able to spend less time commuting, more time with family and more time on important tasks away from their jobs.

A few questions remain, including:

• Is a more remote workforce part of the future of work?
• How will companies be able to manage their employees not being in an office setting?
• What are the negatives and positives of a remote or hybrid approach?

While all of these questions have yet to be answered, remote work does seem to be on the rise. The state of Maine has taken notice. A $535,000 seed grant from Ascendium Education Group will be supporting a new program within the Maine Community College System to train remote workers. This $1.2 million program will be funded through the John T. Gorman Foundation, the community college system, and its foundation.

How Can Workers Prepare For Remote Work?

Potential workers need to be prepared for an increasing number of remote work opportunities. This means understanding the types of technology and software required as well as being skilled in the types of work that can be done remotely.

Students who live in rural areas will be able to take 6-9-month courses online. These will all be in fields that are more conducive to remote work. Some of these include:

• IT support
• Customer service
• Medical transcription

Through this program, students will receive training as well as a certificate in remote work skills. Additionally, there will also be a program for supervisors who want to learn how to handle teams working remotely. The program will start in January with an initial cohort of 60 students.

GrantWatch Notes:

This grant award benefits those interested in working remotely. Even after the pandemic, that is something many employers may have to contend with. This may open up increased opportunities for students in rural areas for more well-paying employment. Specifically, there is currently a grant for young business owners in Maine for activities related to business development. Discover more grants available for working remotely at GrantWatch.com.