My first lesson concerning postsecondary aspirations was taught by a fourth grader in my first school counseling job.

Talking with a student from a multigenerational impoverished family about her goals for the future, she said, “I think I’ll get a paper route,” which was the only employment of which she was aware. I immediately initiated a “Kids at Work” day to expand students’ knowledge of potential careers. My big-picture response is continuously unfolding to this day, powerfully influenced by that interaction 30 years ago.

Maine’s 2026-27 biennial budget contains a provision to make Maine’s free community college program permanent. Fall enrollments are up 23% since the program began, in large measure based on the changing perception of accessibility. Many students found that their education was free because they qualified for financial aid. But it was the “free” that made all the difference in how they perceived the opportunity.

Maine is still relatively new in transition away from agricultural and manufacturing occupations, so long the backbone of the Maine economy. Many families have multiple generations of farmers, mill workers or seafood harvesters; far fewer have multiple generations of college graduates.

The lack of familiarity with college sometimes results in assumptions that lead students and their families to conclude that college is not for them. These decisions are frequently made early; once that aspiration is cut off, it rarely opens up again. Which is why it is so important for this program to become permanent; the day a family sends their kiddo to kindergarten, college is a possibility.

If it’s just for some kids, or may or may not be available depending on funding, it doesn’t work. It needs to be a certainty, available to everyone. The opportunity can then become reality if it matches a student’s aspirations.

High schools are changing as well. CTE (career and technical education) is creating amazing programs and setting kids up for tremendous postsecondary success. I can trace a path as early as sophomore year of high school starting at our CTE, through the transfer agreements with a Maine community college, and complete a pathway through a Transfer ME bachelor’s program at a UMaine system university, all made possible by the critical work that the Maine Community College System (MCCS) and UMaine system universities have done to align their programs.

The community colleges and the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine’s Workforce have also added a huge range of targeted, short-term workforce development programs that teach skills that students need for a particular career.

Free community college is also open to students who relocate to Maine. Think of each investment that we make in an individual student as an investment in the long-term viability and future of Maine. On average, community college grads settle down within 300 miles of their college; 61% live within 50 miles. Opening the program to new Mainers helps address Maine’s “brain drain” — kids moving away to find work. If good quality training and good quality jobs are available, we may retain more of our young adults as we also attract new workers.

Truth is, we need additional contributors to our economy. Maine is the oldest state in the nation. As a population ages, the contribution of each person to the economy becomes more important to the collective. Maine adults of all ages work at the same or higher rates as their peers nationwide. However, we have a higher share of residents aged 65 or older who work at lower rates.

In 2022, 23% of Maine’s population was 65+ compared to just 17% of the U.S. population. This puts the onus for the bulk of the economy on the 81% of “prime working age” (ages 24-54) employed adults. We all benefit from retaining our young working adults and attracting new Mainers to join our labor force in order to ensure a sustainable future for Maine. Free community college is key to Maine’s economic future.