What happens when a 24-year corporate veteran spots a critical gap in workforce development and decides to tackle it head-on? Amy Marston, founder of Edison Public Relations, brings passion and purpose to addressing one of today's most pressing economic challenges—the skilled labor shortage.

Amy's journey begins with a powerful realization from her own experience: most young people simply don't know what career options exist beyond the handful of traditional professions they've been exposed to. After spending decades in the energy sector watching retirement-ready workers leave without adequate replacement pipelines, she launched her PR firm specifically to help trade industries, contractors, and educational institutions attract talent by telling their authentic stories.

Throughout our conversation, Amy illuminates a surprisingly overlooked truth—trade businesses across Maine (and beyond) have remarkable stories worth telling. Many are generational operations with decades of economic impact who "think absolutely nothing of it because it's literally all they know." By highlighting their legacy, values, and the opportunities they provide, Amy helps these organizations not only build their brand but also attract employees who might never have considered these career paths.

What stands out is Amy's practical approach to workforce development. She advocates getting employers into classrooms as early as middle school, offering hands-on experiences that students will excitedly share with parents. "All students want to know is how much money they'll make," she notes pragmatically, acknowledging that many would be surprised by the earning potential in skilled trades. For companies uncertain how to begin this outreach, she offers straightforward advice: "Pick up the phone, look up the website... More times than not, you're going to get a very emphatic yes."

Amy's leadership philosophy—"lead where you are"—emerges as perhaps her most compelling leadership insight. Drawing from years of being "the lowest-ranked person at the table," she discovered that leadership isn't about titles but about seizing opportunities to make decisions when no one else will. This mindset ultimately empowered her entrepreneurial leap and continues guiding her approach to creating meaningful impact.

Ready to close your organization's skills gap or tell your company's unique story? Connect with Amy at EdisonPublicRelations.com and join the movement to build sustainable workforce pipelines for the future.

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