Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce And Reentry Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Portland relaunches Hire and Opportunity Crew; early results show participant progress and citywide cleanups
Summary
The city relaunched its Hire (Haier) program and the Opportunity Crew. Hiring events attracted dozens of job‑seeking residents and the Opportunity Crew reported early housing placements and community cleanups.
City staff provided a midseason update on July 8 about two workforce and public‑works programs relaunched after COVID — Hire (sometimes referenced in materials as "Haier") and the Portland Opportunity Crew.
Erin (staff member) said Hire re‑launched in May and is embedded in the city’s General Assistance office. The program offers resume help, mock interviews, skills assessments and monthly job fairs held at 39 Forest Ave on the third Thursday of each month. Erin reported 56 attendees at the May hiring event and a total of about 86 individuals engaged so far. Employers and partners participating in the events included Goodwill workforce development, MaineHealth workforce development, Southern Maine Community College career services, adult education partners and (planned) Parks & Rec hiring outreach.
The Opportunity Crew, also relaunched for seasonal work, had six participants through the recent field period with three additional participants starting the week of the update. Staff reported 178 hours of field work over 10 days, 107 bags of trash collected and additional bulky items recovered. Erin said one participant had secured permanent housing and used Opportunity Crew earnings to help pay a portion of rent; another participant was scheduled to move into housing the following week. Staff also reported multiple participants increasing shifts with a partner employer and one participant finding full‑time work.
Councilors praised staff and highlighted the programs’ tangible outcomes — trash removal, beautification projects and steps toward housing and employment. Councilors discussed sponsorship models for the Opportunity Crew (local businesses funding crews) and possible partnerships to expand Hire’s reach. Mayor Dion suggested engaging MaineWorks as a potential partner for placement and employer connections.
Staff asked for continued support for program operations and noted the city will monitor outcomes and adjust outreach and employer engagement as the programs continue.
