Permanent signage is up at Taco De Birria by Rice Bar at 14 Bureau Dr in the Diamond Square shopping center in Gaithersburg. The restaurant will be located in the space previously occupied by Rooh Bistro, which opened and closed in 2020.
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?”
Alert Montgomery has issued a traffic advisory on Friday morning: “Northbound I-270 is closed between Montrose Road and West Montgomery Avenue due to a traffic collision. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route. Expect significant delays. For more information, contact Maryland State Police.”
The Mayor and City Council and Planning Commission conducted a Joint Public Hearing on the redevelopment of Lakeforest Mall on June 17, 2024. Video of the meeting can be found here (includes WRS presentation). Joint work sessions and final action meetings have been set. Additional renderings available below, courtesy of WRS, Inc.
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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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.
Children 18 years old or younger may come to any of the summer meals locations Monday through Friday for a healthy and nutritious lunch. The Summer Meals Program is designed to provide nutritious meals at no cost to children 18 years old and younger. The MCPS Summer Meals Program is designed to bridge the “nutrition gap” when school is out.
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The Rockville City Police Department (RCPD) is investigating a shooting that occurred on Thursday, June 20, at approximately 8:30pm. (more…)
The Office of Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown issued the following press release on Thursday, June 20: (more…)
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) responded to the 200blk of Perry Parkway off in Gaithersburg on Thursday, June 20, for the report of a transformer fire. (more…)
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an Excessive Heat Watch from 12 pm to 8 pm for Saturday, June 22. (more…)
The Office of Governor Wes Moore issued the following news release on Thursday, June 20: (more…)
Earlier this month, we reported that there was movement at 15790 Shady Grove Rd., the site of the previously planned Amazon Fresh location (formerly Office Depot) in Gaithersburg. Now, signage reading “Delicious Groceries Coming Soon” with the Amazon logo is up on the building, confirming the rumors that the long-awaited Amazon grocery store will become a reality.