Training Calendar

Recruit, Cultivate and Retain (RCR) is a leadership series designed for mid-level managers working in employment and community inclusion service provider agencies. By joining RCR, you will have the opportunity to develop immediately usable skills for developing your own career and promoting increased job satisfaction for staff you manage. In community with other program managers, we will re-energize, create solutions to complex problems and share expertise.

Goals:

• Learn strategies for recruiting, developing and retaining staff
• Increase your leadership skills as a manager and leader
• Develop a plan for advancing your career
• Hone systems and processes for developing staff into leadership positions
• Connect with other leaders that are managing employment and day services
• Deepen and develop relationships across organizations in your community

The Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Technician (SART) program is a collaborative training initiative offered by the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) Mental Health & Human Services Program and the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) Rehabilitation and Human Services Program.

The online 10-course SART Certificate Program provides students with the necessary coursework to meet the education requirements for entry-level licensure in substance use disorder treatment in Maine. Whether you’re interested in becoming a substance use treatment counselor, pursuing a degree in a related field, or looking to enhance your existing qualifications, the SART certificate offers a comprehensive educational foundation.

Effective communication is essential for workplace success. Many job seekers and employees with disabilities benefit from communication-focused accommodations and support.

In this two-part webinar series, participants will learn how to recognize and support diverse communication needs during the employment process. Learners will explore practical strategies for fostering effective communication, building understanding among coworkers and supervisors, and helping employees express their thoughts, needs, and preferences.

This webinar is appropriate for any staff or educators who assist individuals to find or maintain competitive employment.

Questions? Email Kelly.Wanzer@umb.edu.

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

September Topic: Inclusion Through Technology—using assistive technology to live a more independent
life

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.

Are you interested in becoming a job coach? Maine’s new Job Coach Training course provides the foundational knowledge and practical skills you need to support job seekers with disabilities in long-term employment!

What Will You Learn?
In this free, self-paced, online training, you will learn how to support job seekers throughout their employment journey, from teaching workplace skills to promoting independence. Topics include:

• disability awareness
• workplace relationships
• systematic instruction
• workplace safety

Course Details
This course was created and authorized by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Completing the course is a requirement of becoming a job coach in Maine who can work with people with disabilities for the DOE, DHHS, and DOL.

You may pre-register beginning Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

This is a self-paced online course. Log in and learn at your convenience. You will have 8 weeks to complete the course at your own pace.

Questions? Reach out to Kelly.Wanzer@umb.edu

A well-crafted resume is one of the most powerful tools a job seeker has, but creating one that captures an employer’s attention requires more than simply listing past jobs.

In today's competitive hiring environment, resumes need to communicate skills, accomplishments, and qualifications in a succinct and clear way, while also meeting the expectations of hiring professionals and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

This training equips employment service professionals and job seekers with practical strategies for developing strong, customized resumes that highlight each job candidate’s unique strengths and experiences and matches them to the job they want by exploring effective writing techniques, formatting best practices, and methods for tailoring resumes to specific job postings.

Monthly learning opportunities for 2026!

Direct support staff, supervisors, and managers from residential, community, and employment programs can join Zoom calls to learn about strategies, tools, and resources they can use to help people make meaningful community connections, develop valued roles, and learn about and explore employment.

October Topic: Putting Employment First—understanding your role in supporting people to learn about and explore employment.

Sessions will be held on the last Tuesday of the month through November 2026. No registration required.

Join the monthly meeting using this link.

If you require accommodation, such as real time transcription and captioning (CART) or American Sign Language (ASL) or other language interpretation, please contact OADS at April.Keyes@maine.gov at least 2 weeks prior to the session date. You may also contact Lisa.Cline@maine.gov with questions.

Successfully fading and maximizing the use of natural supports in employment is critical to the success of people with disabilities. Join us to learn more about why fading and natural supports are important for people with disabilities, programs that support them, and businesses that hire them.

Through asynchronous and synchronous instruction, you will learn when and how to:
• identify and use natural supports at the jobsite
• implement systematic instruction and task analysis
• build the independence and confidence of the individual in the workplace

Who should attend this training?
People working toward their job coach certification and anyone providing support services to individuals and students with disabilities should attend this training.

Learners must complete the following requirements:
• Monday, November 2 – Friday, November 13, 2026: Complete the 3-hour online asynchronous training
• Wednesday, November 18, 2026, from 10:00am–12:00pm ET: Attend the live Zoom session

Registration is limited to 40 learners.

Questions? Email Kelly.Wanzer@umb.edu

You can become a Career Planner! Learn the skills you need to work with people one-on-one, engage with businesses to connect people to companies, capture and organize accurate information, and develop written career plans.

This training includes three (3) webinars that are each 2 hours long, and one in-person day in Augusta.

Certificate Series Schedule:

• Thursday, November 5, 9–11am (Zoom Webinar #1)
• Thursday, November 12, 8:30am–3:30pm (In-Person Meeting in Augusta)
• Thursday, November 19, 9–11am (Zoom Webinar #2)
• Thursday, December 3, 9–11am (Zoom Webinar #3)

The 1-day, in-person meeting will be at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Aging and Disability Services on 41 Anthony Avenue in Augusta, ME. Please arrive at 8:15am.

Course Requirements:
• You must be fully certified as a Work Support Professional or an ACRE Employment Specialist to attend this training.
• You must attend all sessions and complete an evaluation to receive the certificate.
• You must complete assigned homework between sessions.
• The course will be limited to the first 20 enrollees.

Registration is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. For questions, contact: Lisa.D.Sturtevant@maine.gov.

Who can benefit from Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), and are we reaching them?

This webinar will unpack the difference between eligible and potentially eligible students with disabilities and examine how employment service providers, schools, and community partners can work together to expand access. Participants will explore practical strategies for promoting Pre-ETS and reaching students in both traditional and non-traditional school settings, connecting more young people with services that can help prepare them for employment.

Audience: This webinar is intended for employment service professionals (ESP), vocational rehabilitation counselors (VRC), special education teachers, and others who support students with disabilities as they engage in secondary transition services and prepare to reach their education, training, employment, independent living, and community inclusion goals after high school.