Montgomery County issued the following news release on Friday, April 26:
Montgomery County Police has released surveillance images of a suspect who has allegedly stolen approximately $7,000 in merchandise from the Amazon Fresh store at 5463 Wisconsin Ave in Chevy Chase. (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 Planning Board and the Montgomery County Planning Department announced their May 2024 calendar of events and meetings. The public can participate in Planning Board meetings by testifying in-person, testifying virtually, over the phone, or […]
The City of Rockville will be holding two public forums in May on amendments to Rockville’s forestry and tree preservation ordinance. (more…)
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Come enjoy the day at our annual Washington Grove Arts and Craft Festival in a beautiful outdoor setting. This festival highlights local artisans including wood creations, pottery, visual art, household products and so much more. We also have food trucks from El Parente Tacos, El Jeffe Wood-fired pizzas, Bruster’s Ice Cream and beverages from Saints Row Brewery. Bring the whole family because we have a kids activity area too. Pets on a leash are welcome too!
Montgomery County Police are investigating the burglary of a dental clinic that occurred earlier this month in Silver Spring. (more…)
Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) has issued a Code ORANGE Air Quality Alert today for parts of the state. In Montgomery County and other parts of the DMV, the air quality remains at Code YELLOW, which is described as “moderate.”
Montgomery County Police responded to a report of a vandalism at the Temple Beth Ami in Rockville on Sunday, April 28.
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The Block Food Hall, which featured “various unique Asian eateries in an upbeat community-focused setup with a bar, sports on TV, and weekend DJs nightlife,” at 967 Rose Ave in North Bethesda has closed as doors were locked with most of the space cleared out on Sunday.
Arcola Elementary School, located at 1820 Franwall Ave. in Wheaton-Glenmont, is hosting its annual community fair on Thursday, May 2nd from 4:30pm-6:30 pm.
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With unanimous Board support, Michelle A. Zamarin was formally appointed Metro’s new Inspector General today. She will serve a three-year term. Ms. Zamarin will be sworn in at a special Board of Directors meeting in June and will join the Metro team on June 17, 2024.