Hinckley Yachts reaches out to Maine college graduates

Eastern Maine Community College said graduates of its 2014 class with degrees in fine woodworking and cabinet making probably will have full-time employment after they graduate this month.

Hinckley Yachts invited students from the program to apply for positions at its facility in Trenton, Maine. The college said the luxury jetboat and sailboat builder has added more than 100 positions to its work force during the last year and is working to fill another 20 to 30 immediately.

The college said successful applicants will get full-time positions at competitive wage levels that include comprehensive benefits, a 401(k) plan and paid time off. Of the 14 students in the class, nine have applied.

Hinckley general manager of Maine operations Andy Fitzpatrick said he expected a high percentage of the students to be offered full-time positions.

“I have a high confidence that the majority of applications from EMCC students will lead to full-time employment,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement. “Any organization that is looking for skilled woodworking and craftsmanship should look no further than the graduates from this program. They leave with a core set of skills that enable them to be flexible in many types of woodworking roles like those found at Hinckley Yachts.”

The community college partnered with Hinckley to begin the Fine Woodworking and Cabinet Making concentration in 2012, anticipating industry growth that would lead to careers for graduates in the marine and specialty construction trades. The concentration is a tailored option within the two-year Building Construction program. It was funded by a $320,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration.

“Our relationship with Hinckley through the Fine Woodworking and Cabinet making program is illustrative of how EMCC prepares students for in-demand jobs,” college president Lawrence Barrett said. “Thanks to our strong partnerships with business and industry, EMCC graduates typically do not have to struggle to find employment post-graduation.”