Maine Conservation Corps Joins National Corps to Careers Initiative
Augusta - The Maine Conservation Corps (MCC), part of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), is one of 11 programs nationwide, and the only one in New England, to receive a planning grant through the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s new Corps to Careers initiative. The initiative aims to connect young adults building skills and work experience through service and conservation corps participation with well-paying jobs and opportunities for career advancement.
Through June 2027, MCC will work with employers and education partners to identify needed training and credentials and develop partnerships that connect members to further education, pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships, and job opportunities. MCC’s planning effort, supported by The Corps Network and Jobs for the Future, will produce a roadmap linking members’ skills to employers’ workforce needs.
“Conservation is an investment in Maine’s future and creates lasting benefits for generations to come. The Maine Conservation Corps puts that commitment into action, improving trails, restoring habitats, and helping people enjoy our public lands,” said DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal. “This initiative is an additional tool to help us turn that experience into lasting careers while connecting Maine employers with skilled workers.”
“The MCC has always been good at building trails. With Corps to Careers, we want to be just as intentional about building careers,” said Christy Owen, Director of the Maine Conservation Corps. “I’m encouraged by how quickly Maine employers and state agencies have shown up for the MCC, and I’m confident we’ll put together a plan for corps to career pathways that works for our members and for Maine.”
Some of the path already exists. In 2026, MCC launched two certified pre-apprenticeship programs with the Maine Department of Labor, in partnership with the Association of General Contractors of Maine and the Maine Rural Water Association. MCC members who participate in the MRWA pre-apprenticeship program will have the benefit of direct entry into Water Operator and Wastewater Operator Registered Apprenticeship programs. Members who pursue the AGC pathway will be positioned to enter Registered Apprenticeship programs in Carpentry, Lead Logging Equipment Operator, Arborist, and All Laborer occupations.
The success of Maine’s Corps to Careers effort rests on creating partnerships across the state. Employers, educators, and prospective members can contact Christy Owen, MCC Director, to learn more and discuss opportunities to collaborate.
Established in 1983, the Maine Conservation Corps operates through the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Bureau of Parks and Lands and receives AmeriCorps funding via Volunteer Maine. Members gain hands-on conservation skills while building trails and caring for public and conservation lands across Maine. In 2025, 97 members served at 45 sites and contributed more than 70,000 service hours. Corps to Careers will help members turn that experience into career opportunities in Maine.
- Program Contact: Christy Owen, MCC Director
- Media Contact: Jim Britt, DACF Communications