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Employing Alternative Labor Pools |
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CEI works closely with many of Maine's public education and training programs and institutions. These include the Maine Department of Labor CareerCenters and Vocational Rehabilitation, Maine Community College System, community adult education centers, Refugee Resettlement, Department of Health & Human Services ASPIRE program (the agency's work readiness program), to name a few. Many of these entities also collaborate to leverage resources and to prepare low-income individuals, those with barriers to employment, and those at risk of poverty or dislocatation, for employment.
Whether a dislocated worker, an individual transitioning off welfare, a person with a disability, someone seeking a better employment opportunity, or a refugee, most are eager to find employment that leads to further skill development, income, assets, and ultimately self-sufficiency. Hiring these individuals can be a strategic and positive business decision. They are eager to learn new skills, be productive, and contribute to a company's mission and effectiveness. CEI, as well as several of the sponsoring organizations, provides a variety of benefits to hiring businesses. Other resources and information about hiring diverse populations can be found below:
The Diversity Hiring Coalition- www.diversityjobsmaine.org
"Hiring New Mainers" - A report by CEI
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CEI IN THE NEWS! |
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CEI partners in the “Cod Academy”. CEI is helping to organize a free cod farming course for large boat fishermen from Maine’s two easternmost coastal counties, Hancock and Washington. Read more here. CEI Investment Notes are a way for you to invest in your community, to help others, and to reap social, environmental and economic benefits. Details here. U.S. Finance Expert Encourages Banking Investment in Maine Communities
At CEI's 32nd Annual Meeting, Ellen Seidman, Exec. VP of ShoreBank in Chicago, and Sr. Research Fellow with the New America Foundation in Washington, DC, urged Maine bankers and community activists to consider “greater community investment…meeting the actual needs of the community, not just counting dollars invested.” See full speech.
See annual meeting remarks by Ron Phillips, CEO, on triple bottom line investing and the next 5 years for CEI. See the 12/14/09 article on CEI and the state of investing in communities. It’s where mission happens… CEI Receives $125 Million in NMTC Through its subsidiary, CEI Capital Management LLC, CEI will use the allocation to attract private capital investments for primarily rural economic development projects. See press release.
CEI Receives Investment Funds
In partnership with Manufacturers Association of Maine, CEI will receive $765,000 over from the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Services (OCS), to finance several job-generating small-to-medium enterprises. This funding will create 78 full-time, year-round jobs. Read press release here. Bangor Savings Bank and CEI offer low-interest loans to small and medium-sized enterprises in disadvantaged areas in Maine. Read more here. |
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Transforming Work |
The bottle room at Hannaford Brothers' Forest Avenue store gets very hectic. Maine's busiest supermarket processes more than a thousand returnables every day.
It can be tough keeping up with the constant flow of plastic, aluminum, and glass, but Charlie Wass is a hard worker. He arrives on time, follows directions, and gets the job done. When Charlie's day is over, he likes to "feel he's done as much as he can". Charlie doesn't work for Hannaford, though. He is an employee of CEI Staffing Services, Inc. (CSSI), a new nonprofit CEI subsidiary.
As a person with a disability, Charlie wasn't often given opportunities to grow in previous jobs. With the support of his CSSI job coach, Charlie is trying new things--fixing machines, using the computer and even helping customers. Charlie has grown so much at Hannaford that he plans to apply for a permanent job.
And, perhaps try bagging.
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Business Advice and Training 
