FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2025
Main Street Skowhegan Launches Outdoor Recreation Career Pathways Program, Seeks Partner Organizations to Lead Training Modules
Skowhegan, Maine—Main Street Skowhegan is proud to announce the launch of CANOE — Career Access through National service and Outdoor Education — a first-of-its-kind workforce development initiative designed to prepare rural Mainers for meaningful careers in Maine’s growing outdoor recreation economy.
CANOE builds on the organization’s successful Skowhegan Outdoors AmeriCorps Program and represents a major step toward expanding year-round outdoor recreation workforce opportunities in central and western Maine. Developed in partnership with the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) and supported by $50,000 in scholarship funding from the Skowhegan Savings Charitable Foundation, CANOE is now seeking partner organizations and industry professionals to help design and deliver training modules beginning in early 2026.
The CANOE Program will offer hands-on training and certification opportunities in fields such as recreational, fishing, and whitewater guiding; trail building and maintenance; as well as outdoor business, retail, manufacturing, and hospitality. Through a mix of classroom instruction, experience through service, and in-person training modules with Maine-based outdoor businesses and professionals, CANOE will create clear pathways into high-demand jobs that support both rural communities and Maine’s economy.
Partners will play a critical role in bringing CANOE to life. Depending on their expertise, partners may lead individual sessions or multi-day modules, delivering high-quality, hands-on training in their respective fields. Their involvement will ensure participants gain real-world knowledge, industry-standard skills directly from experienced professionals, and begin building a professional network.
“This initiative directly aligns with Maine’s Outdoor Recreation Economy Roadmap, which highlights the need to expand workforce training to meet the sector’s growing demand,” said Kristina Cannon, President & CEO of Main Street Skowhegan. “Central Maine faces significant prime-age employment gaps, and CANOE represents an opportunity to provide free, high-quality workforce training for local residents—equipping them with the skills needed to access good jobs while advancing the region as a four-season outdoor recreation hub. Thanks to UMaine Farmington’s leadership and the generous scholarship funding from Skowhegan Savings, we’re building a program that responds to real workforce needs while investing in our community’s future.”
Main Street Skowhegan’s Outdoor Program & Pathways Manager Amber Albe, who oversees Skowhegan Outdoors and is spearheading the design and launch of CANOE, emphasized the program’s role in expanding opportunities for local residents.
“Through Skowhegan Outdoors, we’ve spent years introducing thousands of youth and adults to the outdoors through free community programming,” said Albe. “CANOE takes that work to the next level by laying the groundwork for participants to turn their passion for the outdoors into employable skills, certifications, professional networks, and by streamlining opportunities to pursue higher education. We’re excited to collaborate with partners who share this vision and want to help shape the next generation of Maine’s outdoor economy workforce.”
The University of Maine at Farmington, home to a nationally recognized Outdoor Recreation Business Administration program, is playing a central role in shaping the CANOE curriculum to ensure training modules align with real industry needs. Participants who complete the CANOE program will receive automatic matriculation into the Outdoor Recreation Business Administration program along with opportunities to receive credits towards their degree as part of their participation in CANOE, creating a clear pathway from workforce training to higher education and career advancement.
“Maine’s outdoor recreation economy is expanding rapidly, and developing a program like CANOE is critical for meeting the evolving workforce needs of the industry, all while supporting rural communities that are investing in outdoor recreation as a pillar for their future success,” said Austin French, Director of Career Pathways & Employer Engagement at the University of Maine at Farmington. “We’re proud to be working with Main Street Skowhegan to build clear pathways that connect essential training to impactful careers.”
Scholarship support, made possible through the Skowhegan Savings Foundation’s Workforce Development Fund, will ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation. These funds will cover tuition, certification fees, and logistical support to program participants, expanding access to underrepresented and rural residents. Participants will also earn a stipend and Segal Education Award at the completion of their AmeriCorps service with Skowhegan Outdoors.
The pilot CANOE cohort will launch in early 2026 with five participants, with plans to scale up to certify at least ten rural residents annually. Partner organizations, businesses, and instructors interested in leading training modules are invited to learn more through skowheganoutdoors.com/canoe/ and are encouraged to reach out to Amber Albe, amber@mainstreetskowhegan.org.
The initiative is supported in part by Main Street Skowhegan’s U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Recompete Strategy Development Grant, which focuses on closing regional prime-age employment gaps and advancing long-term economic mobility.
About Main Street Skowhegan
Main Street Skowhegan (MSS) is a nationally accredited nonprofit organization focused on the revitalization of Skowhegan, Maine. Established in 2005, MSS leads regional economic and community development efforts through strategic public-private partnerships, workforce and entrepreneurship initiatives, and infrastructure investment. According to a 2024 economic analysis, MSS programs support more than 80 jobs annually, generate over $2.2 million in earnings, and drive $6.1 million in local sales. Signature initiatives include business incubation, outdoor recreation development, and transformative infrastructure projects like the Skowhegan River Park and riverfront boardwalk and the Kitchen at 185. MSS is committed to fostering long-term economic opportunity and improving quality of life for all residents.