SANFORD — Maine Chamber of Commerce President Dana Connors, when speaking about education and the economy last week, recalled the words of former Governor Joseph Brennan.

Connors, who was commissioner of transportation under Brennan, said his boss, a Democrat, used to put it this way: “The best social program in the world is a job.”

These days, getting a job isn’t quite like it used to be, when, in many locations in Maine, someone graduated from high school on one day and walked into a well-paying job at the paper mill, or took their chances with the bounty from the sea aboard a lobster boat the next.

While lobstering remains a vital industry, paper making has taken a decided downturn. There aren’t any shoe shops either, with the exception of specialty manufacturers; and manufacturing in general just isn’t as prevalent in Maine the same way it once was.

But there are skilled manufacturing jobs available ”“ and the challenge Connors told the Sanford Springvale Chamber of Commerce at its annual dinner at the Sanford Country Club Thursday, is to make sure the education system is in tune with the needs of industry.

Back in the day, it was “fishing, farming and forestry.” These days, Connors said, those industries are a niche market and manufacturing itself is a specialty.

He cited Pratt & Whitney, a North Berwick company engaged in the manufacture of aircraft components, that has been recruiting workers.

And he said, an alignment of business and the educational community is starting to happen.

In York County, it is happening now in Sanford and in Wells, under the helm of York County Community College. That is where as many as 150 folks will be trained as mechanics for Pratt & Whitney, in an initiative announced in March by state Reps. Anne-Marie Mastraccio and Bill Noon of Sanford and Patricia Hymanson of York.

Pratt & Whitney’s manager of employee relations Steve Howe in a March interview said a combination of new work, more work into the future and employee retirements means the company is looking for skilled workers.

“Lots of work is coming into the North Berwick facility as a result of our new commercial geared turbo fan, and in addition to that, continuing contracts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter,” said Howe. “We anticipate heavy hiring this year. We anticipate significant hiring levels in the next five to six years.”

Howe in the March interview said the training will give new hires a foundation of skills to continue on-the-job training within the company.

The program for Pratt & Whitney comes on the heels of the establishment a year ago of a new YCCC training facility in Sanford for precision machinists.

Connors Thursday put it this way to the area’s business leaders: “We have to invest in training and skill of our people.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].