MCPS High School Sports Scores Scores for Sep 30, 2024:
With nearly $886 billion spent on research and development in the U.S., the non-profit organization SmileHub today released new reports on the Best Charities for Research and the States That Care the Most About Research in 2024. Maryland came in ranked as 2024’s state that cares the 3rd most about research.
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 Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County (HOC) has announced that it has closed on more than $303 million in financing for Hillandale Gateway, fully funding a new mixed-income, mixed-use, intergenerational community at the interchange between New Hampshire Avenue and the Capital Beltway in Silver Spring.
A speed camera that was installed over the summer near the intersection of southbound Wootton Parkway and Wootton Oaks Court will begin issuing citations on Monday, September 30, according to the City of Rockville.
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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The Triumph Trek at the Rio is the ultimate celebration of strength, recovery and hope — and everyone is invited.
On Sunday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation and Adventist HealthCare Home Care Services will gather at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg for an untimed walk-or-wheel around the accessible lakeside path. This is not a race. Scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and every pace are welcome, and no one finishes last.
Starting October 1, all DUI/DWI offenders in Maryland, including those receiving probation, will be required to install an ignition interlock system under a new law aimed at closing a loophole in Noah’s Law, which previously allowed 60% of offenders to avoid this requirement. Montgomery County Police Officer Noah A. Leotta passed away in December 2015 after being struck by a drunk driver while performing a traffic stop on Rockville Pike. Leotta was working that night as part of the department’s Holiday Alcohol Task Force.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to the 10900 block of Deborah Dr. in Potomac on Monday afternoon for a reported house fire. (more…)
Dunkin’ has officially opened its new “Next Generation” restaurant at the Friendship Heights Metro Station in Chevy Chase, MD.
Three juvenile males, one 17-year-old and two 15-year-olds, have been arrested for an armed carjacking that occurred on Friday, September 27, in the 13700 block of Colgate Way. The suspects assaulted the victim, stole her car, and were later apprehended at a 7-Eleven. (more…)
Permanent signage is up for Ross at 12940 Middlebrook Rd. in the Germantown Commons shopping center. According to its Google listing, the store is scheduled to open the week of October 13.
Last week, we reported that a $500,000-winning Powerball ticket for the Wednesday, September 25 drawing was purchased at a Frederick Wawa. On Monday, the Maryland Lottery shared details about the lucky winner—a “Super Mom” who claimed the big prize.
Montgomery County’s first Hispanic Heritage Festival and Health Fair on Sunday, Oct. 6, at Marian Fryer Plaza (2424 Reedie Dr) in Wheaton, celebrating Hispanic culture with live performances, health screenings, and family-friendly activities.