Montgomery County’s Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) and UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO have launched their third annual “Labor of Love” campaign, aiming to raise $70,000 through customer donations in November to support the March of Dimes in improving maternal and infant health across the U.S.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) annual one-day event to collect child and adult bikes to help residents in need resulted in a record-breaking 306 bicycles donated on Friday, […]
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?”
On Saturday, November 2, 2024, Montgomery Parks is commemorating the 160th Maryland Emancipation Day (November 4) with events at four of cultural sites:
The Milton apartments are ready for residential occupancy at Twinbrook Quarter in Rockville, the future home of Montgomery County’s second Wegmans. In this article we summarize everything that has signed on in the new development.
When I moved back to Northern Virginia after several years in New York, most of my old friends had moved away. I found myself rebuilding a social circle from scratch.
I had plenty of people I could connect with online, but that wasn’t translating into anyone to grab a beer with after work, play trivia with, or text when I wanted to get out of the house. Making new friends as an adult required far more deliberate effort than I remembered.
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.
Love Food, a website with nearly 3 million Facebook followers with the description of “the definitive website for food, recipes and reviews”, has put together a list of the best sandwich from every state. According to Love Food, the selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of their team.
Fall foliage in Central Maryland are at peak and that includes most of the state, according to the latest Fall Foliage map from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Counties in Western Maryland are past peak while counties on the Eastern Shore are near peak.
On Thursday, we reported that Hard Times Cafe at 1117 Nelson St in Rockville temporarily closed again due to ongoing plumbing issues in the Woodley Gardens shopping center. The restaurant had previously shut down during the week of October 14 for similar problems and originally reopened in July after a closure that started in September 2023 due to plumbing issues. (more…)
The Rockville City Police Department (RCPD) responded to reports of shots fired on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at Welsh Park in Rockville.
In July we let you know that the Best Buy space located at 15750 Shady Grove Rd. in Gaithersburg’s 270 Center will be “coming available” on February 1st 2025. Last month, we confirmed that the store will be closing permanently on October 26th– approximately 30 years after opening in the mid 90s. (more…)
Mayan Monkey Brewing Co. has opened at 227 E. Diamond Ave, in the former location of Growlers and Summit Station Brewery. While the brewery awaits its state license to brew on-site, it is offering a selection of beers from Flying Dog, Modelo, and Pacifico.
On Friday, Governor Wes Moore today announced the appointments of Catherine Huger McQueen to the Montgomery County Circuit Court; Thomas Richard Tompsett, Jr. to the Baltimore County Circuit Court; and Laura Joy Novello Fuggitti to the Prince George’s County District Court.