The Great Frederick Fair returns this week, bringing nine days of rides, fair food, agricultural exhibits and live entertainment to the Frederick Fairgrounds from September 18 through September 26. (more…)
The closure of Redland Road for construction of a new bridge over Mill Creek has been extended through Sunday, October 11, according to the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT).
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?”
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard has signed on to take over the longtime home of China Taste at 155 Rollins Ave. in Rockville. The store is listed as “coming soon,” though an opening timeframe has not yet been announced.
The Montgomery County Council approved legislation Tuesday updating the membership of the County’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission (IDDC), with changes intended to increase representation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (more…)
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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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!
Four original cast members from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory are scheduled to appear at The Chocolate Expo when the event comes to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium on Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25. (more…)
A Maryland woman has been sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for attempting to steal more than $1.1 million from the IRS by filing false tax returns. (more…)
The Montgomery County Council voted Tuesday to reaffirm James Hedrick’s appointment to a new four-year term on the Montgomery County Planning Board, following County Executive Marc Elrich’s decision to disapprove the reappointment. (more…)
Montgomery County Councilmember Shebra Evans introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at increasing compliance with County licensing requirements for short-term residential rentals and recovering revenue lost through unlicensed rentals. (more…)
Frank Stallone recently reflected on his childhood in Silver Spring, sharing a photo from approximately 1955 and memories of growing up in Montgomery County alongside his older brother, Sylvester Stallone.
Vienna, VA coffee shop Caffè Amouri announced that founder Michael Amouri has died peacefully at home. (more…)
A parade, live performances and a community festival will bring residents together this Saturday, September 19, for Burtonsville Day at the Marilyn J. Praisner Library and Community Recreation Center.