The season is heating up, and we’re already seeing a few teams starting to separate themselves from the pack. With some impressive wins and standout individual performances, the picture of who’s poised to make a deep playoff run is becoming clearer. Here’s a look at the top 10 MCPS teams heading into Week 3 (preview/predictions for this week’s games can be seen here).
On the Cusp:
Members from the Maryland Car Rally Task Force, working in collaboration with the Maryland State Police (MSP) Special Operations Division, and allied police agencies disrupted seven unlawful exhibition driving events throughout multiple Maryland counties, including Howard, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore, Saturday night. Three people were arrested in association with the exhibitions.
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?”
Councilmember Kate Stewart has shared an announcement for the second annual Buckets and Beats: Silver Spring Youth Block Party on Friday, September 27th from 2 – 6 PM in Veterans Plaza for middle and high schoolers.
At The Head Spa by Bare, we believe that true beauty begins with a healthy scalp, its your unique wellness experience for the mind and body. Relax with aromatherapy and gentle massages while healing your scalp.
Head Spa Facial rituals are a unique and luxurious experience that focuses on relaxing and revitalizing the scalp and hair. These rituals combine traditional Japanese techniques with modern spa treatments to provide a holistic approach to wellness.
BETHESDA, YOUR SATURDAY MORNING PLANS JUST GOT MORE CREATIVE.
Join Craft Cart at Coffee Republic on Saturday, September 26, from 11:00 AM–1:00 PM for a beginner-friendly faux stained glass experience filled with creativity, coffee and connection.
The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office FCSO) has shared the following about a staff member who was assaulted by a man at approximately 11am Tuesday morning:
Summer is coming to an end and we know of at least six Oktoberfest celebrations taking place across the county. The events take place in September and October and are listed below:
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office K9 section is mourning the loss of K9 Rey. K9 Rey was the current partner to Deputy Buttrey. K9 Rey passed away peacefully, but unexpectedly over the weekend.
MoCo High School Sports Scores for Sep 16, 2024:
Montgomery Parks has been awarded a $900,000 grant from the Federal Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to design the extension of the Magruder Branch Trail into downtown Damascus.
Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Elijah Austin, a missing 17-year-old from Fairland. (more…)
Genki Wagyu House and Molly Tea have signed on take the space, on the corner of Festival Street and Rockville Pike, next to the upcoming Wegmans in Rockville’s Twinbrook Quarter.