MAINE – New Ventures Maine has announced free classes scheduled for May, including self-paced, online, and in-person workshops that are designed to help people in Maine gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to start a business, build a career, and manage money.

Self-paced classes include:

My Next Career Move: Assess your skills, interests, and experiences and relate them to career options. Identify high-growth job fields. Explore education and training options. Strengthen your resume for a targeted job search. Enroll by June 2; work at your own pace; complete by June 30.

Grow Your Business Online: Gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to create a compelling web presence & website for your small business. Work online at your own pace through self-guided courses covering branding, GoDaddy tools, website design and content, SEO & marketing, ecommerce, and more. Made possible by Empower by GoDaddy in partnership with New Ventures Maine. Enroll anytime, complete by May 31.

Online NVME workshops on managing money include:

Managing Your Money Classes: Tuesdays, May 9 – 30, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Online. Learn to budget, repair your credit, and create a savings plan. Join us for one, two, or all three classes. May 9: Budgeting Basics; May 16: Let’s Talk About Credit; May 30: Build Your Savings (no class May 23).

My Money Works: Thursdays, May 18 – June 15, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Online. Gain the skills and confidence you need to stretch your money, pay your bills, reduce debt, find money for savings, plan for retirement, and set financial goals with a plan to achieve greater financial stability. (Also offered Tuesdays, May 30 – June 27, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.)

Career and business classes include:

Making Career Choices: Tuesday, May 2, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Online. Ready for a career change but don’t know where to start? This workshop will point you in the right direction. We will cover what to consider when making a career choice and resources to help you succeed. (Also offered May 24 (day) and May 25 (evening)

Introduction to Self-Employment: Tuesday, May 2, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Online. This class covers the pros and cons of owning your own business, the steps needed for start-up, the major elements of a business plan, and the many resources available to help you succeed.

Job Search Classes: Wednesdays, May 3 – 17, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Online. Ready for a new job or a career change? Join us for one, two, or all three workshops. May 3: Job Search Strategies; May 10: Resume Strategies; May 17: Interview Strategies.

Building Confidence: Wednesdays, May 10 – 24, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Whether you are navigating recent changes, looking for a job, starting a business, or simply want to be more confident, join this class to assess your confidence and learn concrete tools to help you build your confidence and keep it strong. (Also offered Wednesdays, May 17 – 31, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.)

Business Basics: Wednesdays, May 31 – June 14, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. In Person, in Lewiston. This class covers the business plan, marketing, and cash planning. Assess the feasibility, desirability, and viability of your business idea and get started with your plan. (Location: UMA LAC Campus, 51 Westminster St, Lewiston)

For the full schedule of upcoming free classes and to sign up, visit newventuresmaine.org/class-schedules or call 207-621-3440.