Café Edison, an in-school, student-run restaurant at Thomas Edison High School of Technology, remains open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays through Friday, May 17.
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Weekend update from MCASAC: “Thank you to everybody who fell in love with this silly bird the way we did! She was adopted yesterday and has a stellar new home!”
The Montgomery County Animal Services & Adoption Center recently shared one of the newest animals looking for a forever home- Valley the pigeon. Valley is described as a “very friendly, very silly, and very determined pigeon with a funny story” and has gained so much popularity that her story was covered by People magazine. Full story below:
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?”
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The Jolly Shows Carnival is at the Clarksburg Outlets (22705 Clarksburg Road Clarksburg, MD 20871) from now until April 14. There are over 30 attractions, including carnival rides, games, and food wagons.
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Bring your family and friends to our free , all-day outdoor Oktoberfest celebration. These will be an outdoor craft fair featuring local artisans and professional woodworkers, a chainsaw carving, woodworking and tool demonstrations by Festool, Montgomery Wood Turners and Carvers. There will also be lots of delicious food provided by El Parente Tacos, El Jeffe Wood-fired pizzas, Bruster's Ice cream and seasonal craft brews from Saints Row Brwsing Company.
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8:30am Update (5/27/24): The Parade has been canceled due to expected severe weather. The ceremony and musical tribute at 9am are still on.
The Rockville Memorial Day Parade will take place on Monday, May 27, 2024 in Rockville Town Center. The event begins at 9am with a musical tribute by the Rockville Concert Band and Chorus, followed by a ceremony at 9:30am and the parade at 10:30am.
The Arts Barn in Gaithersburg is hosting its Spring Artisan Market on Sunday, May 5, 2024, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 311 Kent Square Rd.
Rio is partnering with Locally Crafted for the Spring Makers Market on Saturday, May 11 from 11 AM – 5 PM on Grand Corner Avenue (near Dick’s Sporting Goods).
Montgomery County Police have released additional information regarding a fatal collision involving a pedestrian that occurred on Friday, April 5 in Colesville.