Amanda Rector, Maine State Economist, Augusta

“Jobs in Maine have changed over time—from agricultural to industrial to service-based—and workers have changed along with them. Women joined the workforce in larger numbers and hold jobs that historically had been the province of men. Children are now in school instead of laboring in fields or factories. As technology has advanced we have learned new skills. We think of Maine workers as enterprising, reliable, inventive, and persistent (or stubborn). We take pride in our work, and these banners are a beautiful illustration of that pride. In some cases, the jobs we hold today were unimaginable 200 years ago. But we still have shipbuilders, sailmakers, hatters, and printers. We have taken our legacy industries in innovative new directions. The jobs in Maine 200 years from now may be unimaginable to us today, but we will always recognize the persistence and ingenuity of Maine workers.”

Amanda Rector is the Maine State Economist. She conducts ongoing analysis of Maine’s economic and demographic conditions to help inform policy decisions. Amanda is a member of Maine’s Revenue Forecasting Committee and serves as the Governor’s liaison to the U.S. Census Bureau. She started working for the state in 2004 and has been State Economist since 2011. Amanda is originally from mid-coast Maine and now lives in Union with her family.