The state of Maine realizes that one size doesn’t fit all in the realm of higher education and career preparation. So it’s using the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program to offer low-income students multiple options to gain an education and a job in a high-growth field. The program awards funding for four-year degrees, certificate training, or apprenticeship programs to students who demonstrate that there are jobs in their chosen field within commuting distance, or in an area of Maine where they’ll move after their education is completed. The Department of Labor is working on making the program more effective and able to serve more students, so it can help more Maine residents get out of poverty and into a good job.