Connecting Students to Maine’s Trucking Industry: Career Exploration Unit Highlights Trucking and Skilled Trades

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) is committed to expanding career pathways that lead students toward meaningful, in-demand professions. In partnership with the Maine Motor Transport Association (MMTA), the Maine DOE is proud to highlight the “Go. Your Way. Maine” workforce development campaign and Career Exploration Unit, an experiential learning resource designed to introduce students to careers in Maine’s trucking industry.

Maine’s economy depends on the movement of goods and services, and the trucking industry offers a broad range of stable, high-growth career paths that extend far beyond the driver’s seat. This Career Exploration Unit—a mobile, interactive learning experience—allows students to explore career paths such as commercial truck driving, diesel and heavy equipment technology, supply chain and logistics, fleet and safety compliance, and dispatch and operations by bringing career discovery directly to school, community events, and workforce programs. Through this unit, students can:

• Commercial truck driving
• Diesel and heavy equipment technology
• Supply chain and logistics
• Fleet and safety compliance
• Dispatch and operations

The Career Exploration Unit is a mobile, interactive learning experience that brings career discovery directly to schools, community events, and workforce programs. Inside the unit, students can:

• Utilize a simulator to experience commercial truck driving.
• Test out a virtual reality forklift operation.
• Use a video game to disassemble and repair components of a semi-truck.
• Gain insight into training pathways and career progression.
• Explore the essential careers that fuel local communities and the national economy.

School administrative units (SAUs) that have partnered with MMTA on Career Exploration Unit events report high levels of student engagement, and learners benefit from the hands-on, real-world career exposure. This effort aligns closely with statewide goals for Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs), workforce preparedness, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and post-secondary planning.

“The MMTA commercial trucking simulation gave our students a hands-on look at one of our state’s vital industries,” Michael Routhier, Brunswick High School Off-Campus Learning Center Teacher, said. “Theengagement and curiosity of students show how powerful real-world learning can be in preparing the next generation for high-demand careers.”

Students from the Brunswick School Department echoed Routhier’s enthusiasm, with many commenting on the realism and challenge of the simulator.

“I learned that it’s a lot harder than it looks to drive a truck,” Brook Hinkley noted.

“I learned that it’s very hard to break a semi and why,” Bella Duval added.  

The experience was also personally significant for some students.

“It was meaningful because I got to see what it was like when my dad used to drive a truck,” Hinkley shared.

Other Brunswick students, like Quincy Garrett, said they appreciated the career insight that the experience offered, noting, “It was interesting to learn how much you can make in a year.”

The Maine DOE encourages SAUs to explore opportunities to request a visit from MMTA’s Career Exploration Unit. This unit may be requested for visits to schools serving grades 6-12. Other opportunities include:

• Career days and job fairs.
• ELO programs.
• CTE programs.
• Student leadership or workforce development events.
• Experiential learning initiatives.
• Alternative Education programs.
• Adult Education programs.
• Colleges and universities.

Early exposure to emerging career fields plays a powerful role in student decision-making, and programs like the “Go. Your Way. Maine” campaign expand student awareness of opportunities that offer financial stability, technical skill-building, and long-term growth.

The “Go. Your Way. Maine” website features information about trucking careers, where to attend trainings, and a grant opportunity for students entering the trucking industry. Through the John Austin Trucking Foundation, MMTA awards up to eight grants per month, each valued at up to $2,000, to support training in trucking careers.

To learn more or request a visit, schools may contact Derek Kennedy, MMTA Industry Image and Marketing Coordinator, at dkennedy@mmta.com or 207-623-4128. You can also visit the MMTA website for further details.

For more information about ELOs, please visit the Maine DOE ELO webpage or contact Lana Sawyer, Maine DOE ELO Coordinator, at lana.sawyer@maine.gov.