Chop Shop Butchery at 12209 Darnestown Rd in Gaithersburg will host a burger pop-up this Saturday, September 26, featuring made-to-order smash burgers from local cook Russell C. (more…)
James “Jimmy” Alderman, a longtime volunteer at The Big Cheese at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, passed away on September 10. Alderman was one of the stand’s longest-tenured volunteers and, for decades, was a familiar presence for fairgoers stopping by for one of The Big Cheese’s famous grilled cheese sandwiches.
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?”
Governor Wes Moore announced a new artificial intelligence framework focused on the development, use and regulation of AI in Maryland, with an emphasis on protecting residents, workers and children. (more…)
Tim Hortons will celebrate the grand opening of its first Maryland location in Eldersburg this Saturday, September 26, with a free coffee for a month giveaway. (more…)
Add to Calendar
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!
The new Chick-fil-A at 22675 Clarksburg Rd is set to open this Thursday, September 24, at 22675 Clarksburg Road near the Clarksburg Premium Outlets. (more…)
Target will celebrate Pokémon’s 30th anniversary with special in-store experiences at locations across Maryland on Sunday, September 27. (more…)
|
New York-based Nong Geng Ji is coming to Maryland, with a new location planned for 1701 Rockville Pike at The Shops at Congressional Village in Rockville. The restaurant will take over the former 7-Eleven space, which closed on December 24 after operating at the shopping center for roughly a decade.
The City of Rockville’s annual Rocktobierfest returns this Saturday, September 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rockville Town Center. (more…)
Urbana Lodge, located at 3335 Worthington Blvd. in Urbana, has announced it will permanently close on Sunday, September 27, with a new restaurant concept already planned for the space.
Montgomery County Police are asking for the public’s help locating 17-year-old Kaori Jaidael Riley, who has been missing since Tuesday, September 15. (more…)
|
On Monday, Westfield announced a new Parental Guidance Policy for Westfield Wheaton and Westfield Montgomery that will require visitors under 18 to be accompanied by an adult age 21 or older after 3 p.m. daily beginning September 28. (more…)