The Montgomery County Council will meet on Jan. 21 to present proclamations for National Mentoring Month and Human Trafficking Awareness Month, introduce legislation on emergency medical services insurance reimbursement, vote on supplemental appropriations for health programs, and hold public hearings on reducing animal impoundment hold times and establishing discounted parking permits for service providers in Silver Spring. Full agenda below courtesy Montgomery County: (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?”
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) is currently on the scene of a shooting in Silver Spring on Friday evening. (more…)
A federal grand jury returned a 22-count indictment, charging a Montgomery County, Maryland attorney with tax evasion, assisting in the preparation of false tax returns, failing to pay taxes, and making false statements to two separate mortgage lenders, according to the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.
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.
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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.
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The U.S. Secret Service has announced that President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony will be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda due to expected inclement weather, with temperatures forecasted to be around 20 degrees. (more…)
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has proposed a $5.852 billion FY26 Capital Budget and amendments to the FY25-30 Capital Improvements Program, prioritizing education, affordable housing, infrastructure, and racial equity, while reducing the structural deficit by $83.5 million due to completed school projects and budget constraints. (more…)
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A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for NW Montgomery County and some surrounding areas from 6:00 am until 9:00 pm, Sunday, January 19th. Residents should plan for travel delays. (more…)
L.A. Café & Catering, located at 7901 Cessna Ave, Suite K in Gaithersburg, has permanently closed. (more…)
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and a coalition of 16 states and 3 cities are defending EPA Clean Air Act waivers that support California’s zero-emission vehicle and truck regulations, aimed at reducing air pollution and combating climate change. (more…)
Last week, Montgomery County Holiday Alcohol Task Force officers arrested a driver for DUI after the individual rear-ended a parked police cruiser on I-270, causing significant damage but no injuries. (more…)
An eyewitness helped Montgomery County Police officers quickly arrest two juveniles who assaulted and robbed a flower vendor in White Oak, with one suspect already wearing an ankle monitor for a prior felony.