Economic Development Committee Briefing: USG’s 2.0 Plan to Meet our Employer’s Workforce Demand for Top Talent

Dr. Anne Khademian, the Chair of the Economic Development Committee and Executive Director of the Universities at Shady Grove, led a discussion with the Economic Development Committee on April 6, 2022. 

USG 2.0 is a strategic plan to help shape the future direction of Montgomery County’s higher education center. Dr. Khademian focused her briefing on the USG 2.0 focus on Montgomery County’s workforce and the attraction and retention of talent. Dr. Khademian said that we are probably on the cusp of another industrial revolution and Montgomery County is a microcosm of the challenges that will be faced in the future. She estimated that 75 percent of regional jobs in the next decade will require a college degree and career ready employees who understand diversity, teaming, collaboration, critical thinking, and digital literacy.

​To address these challenges, USG is creating new avenues to develop career ready graduates and will continue to shift their focus to pathway programs such as certificates and specialized training. Pathway industries include stem and life sciences, allied health and wellness, public service, education and social sciences, business, and hospitality and communication.