Montgomery County’s Remembrance and Reconciliation Month, led by the Commission on Remembrance and Reconciliation, returns in November with community events highlighting the 160th anniversary of Maryland’s Emancipation Day and key moments in African American history, aiming to foster understanding, healing, and unity across the county. (more…)
The Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade will take place in Downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to noon, featuring large inflatables, floats, and a special appearance by Santa. (more…)
Talent is one of the most important factors influencing where companies choose to invest, expand, and grow. As competition for skilled workers intensifies, employers are embracing a broader talent strategy: one that leverages partnerships. Last week, almost 120 business leaders, elected officials, and members of Montgomery County’s business community attended the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation’s (MCEDC) panel, “The Talent Advantage: A Growth Strategy for Companies in Montgomery County, Maryland,” to hear how local businesses are capitalizing on the County’s world-class academic institutions, innovation ecosystem, quality of life, and economic development resources to attract and retain top talent.
Moderated by Dr. Anne Khademian, Executive Director at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG), the panel included executives from businesses and institutions across industries, including Lockheed Martin, TrilliumBIO, Thales Defense & Security, Johns Hopkins, Montgomery College, and AstraZeneca, who discussed their companies’ strategies for developing their workforce.
Talent as a Business Strategy
For companies competing in highly specialized industries like the defense industry, access to talent directly influences where they choose to locate and grow. For Lockheed Martin, which employs nearly 1,000 people in Montgomery County, talent is one of the primary reasons the company chose to be headquartered here.
“Talent is in the top one or two reasons why we are in the County,” said Todd Cohen, Senior Lead of Strategic Workforce Development, Lockheed Martin.
According to Cohen, Lockheed Martin begins working with partners to develop their talent pipeline well before students enter the workforce, including partnering with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) on programs such as coding challenges. Lockheed Martin also maintains close relationships with local higher education institutions, including the Universities at Shady Grove (USG).
That local talent pipeline is also an important factor for AstraZeneca, which employs more than 5,000 employees and contractors in Montgomery County. According to Tiffany Lukis, Director of STEM and Community Engagement at AstraZeneca, the company often taps into its alumni base from Montgomery College (ranked #26 nationally among community colleges) and USG (which offers nine different public universities onto one campus), and other local institutions to fill highly technical roles.
Local Companies Are Developing Talent and Not Just Finding It
According to the panelists, investing in existing employees is just as important as recruiting new ones.
At Suburban Hospital, workforce development is closely tied to talent retention. The hospital partners with local educational institutions to provide employees with opportunities to gain new skills and advance their careers. Programs include a Certified Nursing Assistant program through Montgomery College and English as a Second Language classes.
“A huge part of our talent strategy is to prioritize holding on to our top tier talent,” said Corey Lewson, MSW, Program Manager, Workforce Development, John Hopkins Medicine.
For smaller companies, developing talent internally can be especially valuable. Lane Edwards, Vice President of Operations, TrilliumBIO, a biomarker discovery company with fewer than 20 employees based in Rockville, described the challenge of balancing the need for highly specialized expertise with the realities of building a team at an early-stage company.
“When it comes to hiring, we have to be very strategic,” Lane said. “Do we have someone who has the expertise or someone that we can build on?”
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded Thursday morning to a collision involving a school bus and a pickup truck on New Hampshire Ave at Norwood Rd in Colesville. (more…)
MCPS High School Playoff Scores for Oct 30, 2024:
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Music. Art. Food. Community. The Takoma Park Folk Festival brings it all together for one free, unforgettable day. Discover six stages of live music from around the world, shop an acclaimed juried craft show, enjoy international cuisine, connect with local community organizations, and let the kids explore crafts and activities in the Children's Nook. It's one of the region's most beloved traditions, and a celebration of the creativity, diversity, and welcoming spirit that has long defined Takoma Park.
New this year! Jam at the Crossroads is a place for musicians of all levels to come together and be part of the music.
MCPS has shared that 25 high schools showcased their incredible skills during the 36th annual cheerleading competition on October 26, held at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring.
In a season where MoCo football fans have come to expect a certain inevitability from Quince Orchard (8-0), this Friday night showdown at Sherwood (7-1) feels different.
On Tuesday, a Rockville woman pleaded guilty to stealing over $160,000 from her employer, Dawn Crafton Dance Connection, and faces up to 20 years in prison with sentencing set for January 7, 2024. (more…)
A Gaithersburg man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to shoot two victims in Welsh Park in Rockville on Saturday, October 26.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, which premiered in July 1999 and launched the iconic Blair Witch franchise. Though we’ve covered it plenty, some might not know is that this groundbreaking film was primarily shot right here in Montgomery County.
Japanese retailer UNIQLO is coming to Westfield Montgomery Mall (7101 Democracy Blvd) in Bethesda. (more…)
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to a collision on W. Old Baltimore Rd. near Frederick Rd. in the Germantown/Clarksburg area shortly before 3pm on Wednesday afternoon.