Early College Career Pathways

50+

Career Pathways

7

Maine’s Public Universities

11 to 18

College credits per Career Pathway

Qualified students can earn 18 tuition-free credits. See if you qualify

What is an Early College Career Pathway?

Curious about health science? Information technology? Education? Not sure which courses to take? Let a Career Pathway point you in the right direction.

A Career Pathway is a set of Early College courses that go together, all connected to one career field or subject. It lets you try a field out while you earn college credit, even if you are not sure what you want to do yet. Plenty of students use a Pathway to find out whether a subject is right for them.

Explore your interests

Take courses connected to subjects, college majors, and careers that interest you. Exploring now can help you discover what you enjoy and what you may want to pursue after high school. Ruling something out is just as useful.

Choose with purpose

Use a Career Pathway as a guide when choosing Early College courses. Instead of selecting courses one at a time, you can see how courses connect to an area you want to explore.

Make your credits count

Courses taken as part of a Career Pathway are more likely to count toward a degree later, depending on the university and program you choose. Trying a field now also helps you pick a major with more confidence.

Find your Career Pathway

There are two ways to explore Early College Career Pathways. Start with an area that interests you, or explore the Career Pathways offered by a specific university within the system.

Most Career Pathways can be completed fully online. Some courses require in-person attendance. Check with the Early College office at the university before you start.

Explore based on your interests

Think about the subjects, activities, careers, or hobbies that interest you. Career Pathways are organized by Career Clusters, which group together careers and fields with similar interests and skills, making it easy to find Career Pathways connected to things you already enjoy or want to explore further.

Career Clusters group together careers and fields that share similar interests and skills. Start with a cluster that interests you to see the Early College Career Pathways connected to that area.

Some Career Pathways may appear in more than one Career Cluster because they connect to multiple career fields.

General Studies or Undecided pathways are about exploring before you choose. They do not fall into one particular Career Cluster. Instead, they let you try different subjects so you can discover what interests you, while earning credits that can still count toward a degree.

Early College Career Pathways

Advanced manufacturing is where things get designed, built and improved. If you like figuring out how something works and how to make it better, this field covers engineering, robotics, machining and quality control, and it produces everything from engines to medical devices.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Advanced Manufacturing on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Agriculture connects people to food, land and living things. It includes farming and forestry, animal care and food science, along with the work of protecting Maine’s soil, water and wildlife.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Agriculture on CareerOneStop (External Site).

This field is about creating what people watch, read, hear and use. It includes art and music, writing, film and video, performing, and design work from graphics to interiors.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Arts, Entertainment, & Design on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Construction shapes the places people live, learn and work. It includes architecture and design, carpentry, electrical and plumbing work, and the skilled trades that keep buildings safe and running.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Construction on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Digital technology sits behind almost everything else. It includes programming, cybersecurity, data and networks, and the systems that keep schools, hospitals and businesses working.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Digital Technology on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Education is about helping people learn and grow. It includes teaching at every age from early childhood onward, along with coaching, tutoring, school counseling and library work.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Education on CareerOneStop (External Site).

This field is about where power comes from and how we care for the natural world. It includes solar, wind and other energy sources, conservation, and the science of using resources wisely.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Energy & Natural Resources on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Financial services is about money and how it moves. It includes banking, accounting, insurance and investing, and helping people and businesses plan for what matters to them.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Financial Services on CareerOneStop (External Site).

This field is about caring for people’s health and wellbeing. It is inclusive of health professions focused on the physical body, like nursing or medicine; on mental wellness, like counseling or social work; and on the care of animals.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Healthcare & Human Services on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Hospitality, events and tourism is about welcoming people and creating a good experience for them. It includes hotels and restaurants, travel and tourism, and planning events like conferences and weddings.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Hospitality, Events, & Tourism on CareerOneStop (External Site).

This field is about leading people and running organizations. It includes managing a business, working in government, and starting a company of your own.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Management & Entrepreneurship on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Marketing and sales involves introducing people to products, ideas, and events to develop interest in them. It includes advertising, social media, branding, market research, and selling.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Marketing & Sales on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Public service and safety is about serving and protecting communities. It includes policing, firefighting and emergency response, along with government, law and the courts, and the military.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Public Service & Safety on CareerOneStop (External Site).

This field is about moving people and goods and keeping things running. It includes piloting, trucking and shipping, warehousing and logistics.

Early College Career Pathways

Explore related careers and occupations through Supply Chain & Transportation on CareerOneStop (External Site).

Still deciding? Use the button below to answer five quick questions and be pointed to the Career Clusters that fit you best.

Find Career Clusters that fit me

Not sure what interests you or where your interests could lead? The O*NET Interest Profiler can help you identify your interests and discover careers that may be a good fit.

Take the O*NET Interest Profiler (External Site)

Download Career Pathways by Career Cluster

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Explore by university

Already interested in one of Maine’s Public Universities?

Each Career Pathway is offered by a specific university within the University of Maine System. Find Career Pathways through each university.

Each Career Pathway is offered by one university. Open a university below to see the Career Pathways it offers.

These Career Pathways are offered through UMaine, which shares one catalog with UMaine Machias.

  • Business & Economics
  • Career Explorations
  • Core College Studies
  • Earth, Environment, & Sustainability
  • Engineering & Computer Science
  • Human Health & Wellness
  • Leadership & Public Service
  • Psychology & Mental Health
  • Teaching & Early Childhood Education

To learn more about Career Pathways at University of Maine, visit their Career Pathways webpage (External Site).

  • Architecture
  • Art
  • Aviation: Flight
  • Aviation: Maintenance Technician (includes in-person courses)
  • Aviation: Uncrewed Drones
  • Biology
  • Business Administration
  • Computer Science & Cybersecurity
  • Data Science
  • Dental Assisting
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Education
  • French
  • Information & Library Science
  • Justice Studies
  • Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Medical Laboratory Technology
  • Mental Health & Human Services
  • Music
  • Nursing
  • Pre-Engineering
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration
  • Social Science
  • Veterinary Technology

To learn more about Career Pathways at the University of Maine at Augusta, visit their Career Pathways webpage (External Site).

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Education & Teaching
  • Health Promotion & Wellness
  • People & Places
  • Rehabilitation & Human Services
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Writing & Literature

To learn more about Career Pathways at the University of Maine at Farmington, visit their Career Pathways webpage.

  • Business Management
  • Nursing

To learn more about Career Pathways at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, visit their Career Pathways webpage (External Site).

  • Business
  • Criminal Justice
  • Healthcare Professions
  • Liberal Studies
  • Psychology
  • Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math

To learn more about Career Pathways at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, visit their Career Pathways webpage (External Site).

  • Business & Economics
  • Cybersecurity & Technology
  • Health & Wellness
  • Human Development & Behavior
  • Humanities & Liberal Arts
  • Leadership, Public Service & Advocacy
  • Pre-Engineering (includes in-person courses)
  • Pre-Med & Natural Sciences (includes in-person courses)
  • Studio Art (includes in-person courses)

To learn more about Career Pathways at the University of Southern Maine, visit their Career Pathways webpage (External Site).

Download Career Pathways by university

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How to sign up for a Career Pathway

Signing up happens in three phases. Each phase has the same three ways to follow along, so you can use whichever suits you.

Phase 1: Explore Career Pathways

See which Career Pathways are offered and work out which ones fit your interests.

  • Watch the walkthrough. A short narrated video of every step, with captions and speed controls.
  • Open the interactive step-by-step viewer in a new window. Click through it yourself at your own pace.
  • Download the printable PDF. Keep it beside you, or print it to tick the steps off.

Phase 2: Sign up for a Career Pathway in ExplorEC

Add the Career Pathway you chose to your ExplorEC account.

  • Watch the walkthrough. A short narrated video of every step, with captions and speed controls.
  • Open the interactive step-by-step viewer in a new window. Click through it yourself at your own pace.
  • Download the printable PDF. Keep it beside you, or print it to tick the steps off.

Phase 3: Choose your Career Pathway courses

Pick the courses that count toward your Career Pathway and apply for them.

  • Watch the walkthrough. A short narrated video of every step, with captions and speed controls.
  • Open the interactive step-by-step viewer in a new window. Click through it yourself at your own pace.
  • Download the printable PDF. Keep it beside you, or print it to tick the steps off.

A few things to know before you sign up

Career Pathways are designed to help you explore and plan. They do not change the requirements for participating in Early College or earning college credit.

  • You do not have to participate in a Career Pathway to take Early College courses.
  • You are not required to complete a Career Pathway once you start one. There is no penalty if you decide not to continue.
  • Completing a Career Pathway does not result in a degree or credential.
  • You earn college credit for each course you successfully complete, whether or not you complete the Career Pathway.
  • Career Pathways are recommendations, not requirements. Course availability and options may vary.

The University of Maine

The University of Maine at Augusta

University of Maine at Farmington

University of Maine at Fort Kent

The University of Maine at Machias

The University of Maine at Presque Isle

University of Southern Maine

University of Maine School of Law

The University of Maine

The University of Maine at Augusta

University of Maine at Farmington (UMF

The University of Maine at Farmington

The University of Maine at Fort Kent

The University of Maine at Machias

The University of Maine at Presque Isle

The University of Southern Maine

The University of Maine School of Law