MCPS shared that as part of the school system’s emergency weather procedures, meals were made available to children aged 18 and under (regardless of their enrollment status in the school district) at 18 sites across the county. Parents and guardians could also pick up these meals.
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?”
State Troopers Arrest Montgomery County Man in Connection With Reported Shooting in Frederick County
Maryland State Troopers arrested a Montgomery County man this morning in connection with a reported shooting in Frederick County, the Maryland State Police Department (MSPD) shared in a news release today
The Montgomery County Police Department has announced the arrest of 36-year-old Christopher Huser, a Rockville man, who has been charged in connection with the armed robbery of two 7-Eleven stores in Montgomery County in November 2024. (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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The Triumph Trek at the Rio is the ultimate celebration of strength, recovery and hope — and everyone is invited.
On Sunday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation and Adventist HealthCare Home Care Services will gather at Rio Lakefront in Gaithersburg for an untimed walk-or-wheel around the accessible lakeside path. This is not a race. Scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and every pace are welcome, and no one finishes last.
A Rockville, MD man recently won $50,000 on a Monopoly scratch-off and plans to use the prize for a house down payment. The winning ticket was purchased at Hilltop Wine & Spirits in Prince George’s County. Full story below courtesy MD Lottery: (more…)
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued starting at 10pm this evening until 7am Saturday for DC, Central Maryland (including C/SW MoCo), and Northern Virginia.
The Montgomery County Council will meet on January 13 to discuss local and bi-county legislation, while a joint committee will review $521,000 in supplemental appropriations to support the DHHS Care for Kids Program and infrastructure positions. Full agenda below courtesy Montgomery County:
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Earlier this month Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin were named to the 2025 Pro Bowl (fan voting). Now, four Commanders were voted 2nd team All-Pro by the Associated Press.
Last month, Big Lots began going-out-of-business sales at all 900+ locations. The company has just announced that it will no longer accept Big Lots gift cards after January 16th. In an email to customers, Big Lots stated: (more…)
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Update: A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for parts of the DC Metro Area, including C/SW Montgomery County
The National Weather Service (NWS) writes that a “period of light to moderate snow will overspread the region this evening into tonight. Some lingering snow east of I-95 Saturday morning, then dry/cold through the weekend.”