BANGOR, Maine — Dead River Company recently opened a new training facility in Bangor to provide workforce training programs. The new Dead River Institute (DRI) location is one of two in the state that offers training programs.
In partnership with Eastern Maine Community College and the Maine Community College System, Dead River Company is able to make some of its training programs at no cost to students through the Harold Alfond Center for the Advancement of Maine's Workforce.
"A lot of companies are struggling to find a trained workforce, and that's where the Maine Community College System can really lend a hand," EMCC President Liz Russell, said.
The Dead River Institute offers oil and propane technician apprenticeships, oil-heat technician programs, and delivery driver training.
"The industry's getting harder and harder to find people to come into," DRI instructor and business training specialist, Bill Bickford said. But at DRI, students can learn basic services and troubleshooting that will ease transitioning into the field.
"Without them learning here in this facility, they're learning in your basement," Bickford said. "So here they get to tear everything apart, make mistakes here, learn from those mistakes so when they get out into the field they've got some hands-on experience already."
The DRI is just one of many EMCC programs designed to help workforce development, as workforce training is at the forefront of the college's mission, according to Russell.
"Anytime we have the opportunity to support businesses and their workforce needs, then we're all in," Russell said.
Dead River Company also has a training facility in Sanford and began partnering with the Maine Community College System in 2021, according to the company.
If you want to learn more about the Oil Burner Technician program offered through EMCC, click here.