The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $4.85 million grant to the Maine Department of Labor’s Bureau of Employment Services for job-training programs that will target both the long-term unemployed and new Mainers, state officials said Monday. The two-year grant will fund several training projects, they said, including:

• Jobs at St. Croix Tissue in Washington County.

• Welders in central Maine.

• HVAC natural gas installation and maintenance technicians throughout the state.

• A 10-week pre-apprenticeship construction workforce academy using Cianbro Corp.’s in-house training facility.

• Development of health care workforce academies and new health care apprenticeships.

• New composite technicians through on-the-job-training for Maine’s boat-building industry.

The programs will run from now through June 30, 2016, according to the state Labor Department.

Because of Maine’s aging population, job-training programs are needed to replace the current generation of workers, Gov. Paul LePage said in a news release.

“Maine’s status as the ‘oldest state’ presents a significant challenge in meeting both short- and long-term workforce needs. We don’t have enough younger workers to replace retiring baby boomers,” LePage said. “We need to ensure that people who have lost jobs or who want to work are retrained and provided with the skills and certifications that employers in growing industries demand. This grant will target people who need to rejoin the workforce, helping businesses meet their needs for employees and grow our economy.”

Those interested should start with their local Maine CareerCenter, department spokeswoman Julie Rabinowitz said. A listing of career centers can be found at mainecareercenter.com.

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