Innovation + Job News

The Contemporary Museum has been awarded a $110,000 grant by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, making it the largest foundation grant ever awarded to the museum, said Irene Hofmann, Executive Director of the Contemporary Museum. The Contemporary is the only museum in Maryland to receive a grant in the foundation's current round of giving.

The two-year grant will support artist residency projects that will expand the museum's outreach in the community.

The grant to the Contemporary Museum will be used to support five new artist projects over the next two years including an off-site installation by New York-based collective Not an Alternative; a residency and live performance by performance artist Robert Farid Karimi; and a residency, teen workshop, and installation by Mario Ybarra Jr. and Karla Diaz of the Los Angeles-based Slanguage artist collective. All of the projects are a part of the museum's Project 20 series of exhibitions and projects celebrating the museum's 20^th anniversary.

"We are so honored by this recognition from the Andy Warhol Foundation of the work that we are doing in Baltimore," said Hofmann. "With this grant, the museum will be able to present an expanded program in the coming years with new opportunities for our audiences and new opportunities for artists."

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts grant program focuses on the enhancement and development of contemporary visual art in mediums that are unique and challenging to viewers. Developed from Warhol's original will, the Foundation gives grant funding to institutions for exhibitions, research, visual arts programming, and other installations that promote awareness and support of contemporary art.

Money Magazine released its 2010 list of the Best Places to live. Columbia-Ellicott City earned the No. 2 rank with two other cities around the state also making the list. Eden Prairie, MN topped the list.

Money Mag editors cited Ellicott City's large homes, historical downtown and vibrant restaurant scene as key to its second place finish, while it was the variety of housing available, many parks and Merriweather Post Pavilion that carried Columbia to penultimate position on the list. The combined area's low jobless rate 5.1 percent in a population of 100,000 people  -- equal to that of Eden Praire, which boasts a population of just 64,000 -- was also a key indicator. Add in a low foreclosure rate, proximity to Baltimore and Washington, and its clear why the two communities came in at the top of the list.

Gaithersburg and Rockville made the top 100 list, coming in at No. 25 and No. 31, respectively.


Source: CNN Magazine
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The newly announced Argonne Drive Bridge rehabilitation project, one of many projects throughout the city that is being funded in full by federal stimulus funds will create almost 90 jobs, according to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Senator John Sarbanes.

The bridge rehabilitation includes construction of new bridge decking, beam replacement, and support column restoration. Portions of new bridge abutments will be constructed, along with pier armoring and rip rap protection for stream preservation. New roadway approaches will be built, and a new thirty-inch water main will be installed. The project includes new sidewalks and inlets, along with ornamental fencing and lighting. The bridge will be finished with a decorative brick fa�ade.

Construction on the Argonne Drive Bridge began in March, 2010 and should be complete in approximately two years. This rehabilitation project is expected to sustain the jobs it creates in Baltimore City for more than 24 months.

"As a direct result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the City of Baltimore is moving forward with roadway construction projects that otherwise would not have been possible," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. "With the help of our Congressional Delegation's diligent efforts, people are working, and the City is moving forward."

The Argonne Drive Bridge, which spans Herring Run, is now undergoing a complete rehabilitation. The $7 million project is being completely funded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"In communities all over America, our aging infrastructure is crumbling and people are out of work," said Congressman John Sarbanes. "Baltimore City has used Recovery Act funding to help address both these problems with the Argonne Road Bridge project. This is a terrific example of how we should keep people working by investing in the critical infrastructure of our communities."

Source: Office of the Mayor
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Gov. O'Malley has designated $1 million of federal stimulus monies to help boost Maryland's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. The investment will be used to build approximately 65 electric vehicle charging stations around the State to attract and support the coming electric vehicle industry. In addition, plans are in place for Maryland workers to retrofit the state's existing truck stop electric infrastructure, an improvement which is expected to displace approximately 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually by allowing trucks to use electric power instead of idling at truck stops.

"Electric vehicles offer the potential to displace significant amounts of gasoline, nearly 20 percent of which is currently imported from the Persian Gulf," says Gov. O'Malley. "Investing in electric vehicle technologies will create jobs for our workers, green opportunities for our businesses, and a Smart, Green and Growing Maryland."

This funding comes on the heels of the recently enacted Electric Vehicle Tax Credit bill and Electric Vehicle HOV bill, passed into law during the last legislative session. The two initiatives are designed to to better equip Maryland to meet the demand for publically accessible charging stations as car manufacturers release more and more electric car models for purchase by the public.

"Maryland is emerging as a national leader in advancing electric transportation, which promotes energy independence, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and saves consumers' money," remarked Maryland Energy Administration Director Malcolm Woolf. "With the average Marylander driving less than 40 miles per day, electric vehicles will offer meaningful solutions to saving money and protecting our environment." 

The awards include: 

1) ShorePower: $498,000 for truck stop electrification (TSE) units at Baltimore, Elkton, and Jessup, totaling 249 TSE installations;

2) Baltimore City: $134,500 for the installation of 9 to 16 electric vehicle re-charging stations in various parking garages throughout Baltimore City. Project partners include Baltimore City Department of General Services, Baltimore City Parking Authority and BGE;

3) Baltimore Electric Vehicle Initiative (BEVI): $367,500 for the installation of 55 electric vehicle re-charging stations around the state and the I95 corridor, including Harford, Cecil, Baltimore City, Baltimore, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Charles, Frederick and Prince George's counties.

Source: Maryland Energy Administration
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Two Maryland companies received national honors last week from  at the 2010 American Business Awards. Millennial Media, the largest independent mobile advertising platform, announce was awarded a Stevie for "Most Innovative Company-- Breaking Ground for Mobile Advertising" in 2010, while Encore Path, a Baltimore company that makes devices for recovery from stroke and brain injury, received the award for "Best New Product or Service of the Year" for its Tailwind rehabilitation device.

Stevie Awards were presented in over 40 categories including Best Overall Company of the Year, Executive of the Year, and Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year. More than 2,700 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration.

More than 200 executives across the country participated in the judging process to determine the Finalists and Stevie Award winners.

"2010 has been an explosive year of growth for our company and we are grateful to the American Business Awards for this national recognition of our achievements in mobile innovation," says Mack McKelvey, senior vice president of marketing, Millennial Media. "We have made it our mission to significantly increase advertisers' awareness on the effectiveness of mobile, and to remain on the forefront of mobile creative, technology and business innovation." 

Bringing home the Stevie award is akin to winning  an Oscars for the business world. Encore Path, an emerging life sciences company, competed along with long-time leaders of American industry. Encore Path beat out other finalists for "New Product or Service of the Year" including products such as an external defibrillator and services such as a LEED certification training program. 

"Encore Path is proud to be improving the quality of life for stroke and brain injury survivors around the world, and we are proud to be recognized for this by the American Business Awards," said Kris Appel, president EncorePath, in accepting the award.

"To be in the company of winners such as Ford, Apple, and Oracle is a tremendous honor, and an acknowledgement of the hard work of the people who have supported Encore Path and helped bring this important product to the market."

Source: Millennial Media, Encore Path
Writer: Walaika Haskins

There's a common perception that a fine line seperates the old from the new. Most people for instance wouldn't think that lovers of opera and users of social media like Twitter and Facebook would have anything in common. Brendan Cooke, general director for Baltimore Concert Opera (BCO), thinks its time to change the way people -- young and old -- think about opera and those who enjoy the centuries old art form.

"Opera isn't just about a fat lady wearing horns screaming at you. There's a lot of fantastic music. And if people give it a shot, we're pretty certain they'll be back soon," he says.

The mashup of opera and social media for the BCO came from a desire to get more people interested in opera.

"We realized that a lot of people running opera companies talk a great deal about bringing in a younger audience. I hate that idea. We just want to bring in a different audience. We realized that a lot of the people we want to bring in, the energetic people who can help spread the word about us are the social media users out there," he explains.

Lacking a budget that would support a large marketing campaign, Cooke looked for no cost alternatives. "Opera can be a tough sell. We realized that we would have to reach these people where they wanted to be reached and find them on their iPhones, iPads in that environment and give them enough reason to want to find out more about what we're doing. We really found that these are the most effective outlets for us, in terms of growing our audience."

His efforts have paid off and captured the attention of a new audience that receives special offers through Twitter and Facebook.

Now, the BCO has taken its social media marketing to the next level with its first Social Media Scavenger Hunt. The event, running from July 9 to July 18 will help the opera company raise money to support its upcoming performance at Artscape. The winner of the scavenger hunt won't leave empty-handed, either. That person will win $1000.

Cooke has enlisted the help of local retailers and as with traditional scavenger hunts, participants will search the city for these shops and specific objects hidden there. Once they've located the object, that's when the social media aspect comes into play with participants tweeting, posting Facebook updates, and uploading videos.

Everyone involved, the BCO, retailers and participants will benefit from the experience. The BCO raises the money it needs and gets its name out to a larger audience, the vendors also get a marketing bump and the hunters get to have some fun and learn more about opera and the city.

"It's about sharing the love a little bit. We have vendors who joined Twitter because of this and others that have thriving followings. The motivation is to grow our networks. The relationships we're building now will continue to flourish. It's a community project, but ultimately its meant to bring people out to our free performance at Artscape and get more people interested in opera," he says.

Anyone interested in participating in the scavenger hunt should sign up sooner rather than later. The fee to play goes up with every 10 people who sign up. The first 10 people pay $1, the next 10 will pay $2 and so on up to $9.

Source: Brendan Cooke, Baltimore Opera Company
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Columbia-based LJT & Associates, an engineering services provider, has nabbed a major contract from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The NASA Wallops Flight Facility Range Operations Contract (ROC) covers a five year base period with a total estimated cost-plus-award-fee contract/Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity value of approximately $117 Million.

The firm will provide support services to manage the Wallops Research Range operations and maintenance; training; command, control, and communications information; and computer systems services. Contract support also includes testing, modifying and installing communications and electronic systems at launch facilities; launch control centers and test facilities; and range technology development engineering services. We are proud of our team which includes ITT Industries, CSC, Orbital Sciences, BAH, Airtec Inc, and LKC.

"LJT has supported NASA Wallops for the past 8 years," says Jim Bishop, vice president of Civilian Programs. "We look forward to continuing our support and beginning a new era for the Wallops Range Operations program, and helping NASA advance range technology, range use, and continuing the tradition of the Wallops Range as the "Premier Provider" of Research Range Capability."

Source: LJT & Associates
Writer: Walaika Haskins

CityLit Project, the Baltimore-based non-profit that aims to nurture the culture of literature in Baltimore and throughout Maryland, is going into the book publishing business.

The new publishings house, CityLit Press, will offer authors who might otherwise be overlooked by larger publishers due to the literary quality or regional focus of their projects an opportunity to have their work publsihed, says Gregg Wilhelm, founder of CityLit Project.

"[We'll] publish anything that has literary merit or regional purpose. At the end of the day I get to publish anything that strikes me," he continues.

Wilhelm expects to publish two chat books and three other books each year to start, but adds that as the organization grows he hopes to put out more books.

First of the presses is the just released "City Sages: Baltimore" edited by Jen Michalski, an anthology of fiction writing; a chat book (slim volume)from CityLit's first winner of the Clarinda Harriss Poetry Prize and a post-Katrina book from a New Orleans-based poet, according to Wilhelm.

Started in 2004, CityLit Project puts on the CityLit Festival in April and the CityLit stage at the Baltimore Book Festival in September. The organization also conducts a lot of outreach with CityLit Teens and workshops to help adults develop their craft. Wilhelm, who has worked in publishing since 1992, says starting a publishing house was always "in the back of his mind."

"Launching CityLit Press took six years. We had to get [CityLit Project's] feet on the ground and establish a reputation. I don't see CityLit Press any different from CityLit Project, it is part and parcel of that mission, but I knew that it would be a program that would have th emost expenses involved. So, we needed to have a good financial base before we took on those publishing expenses," he explains.

Wilhelm meets the expenses associated with both projects through a variety of city and state grants, and ecently recieved grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Private donations are also a major soruce of support. So, to that end, CityLit Press is hosting a fundraiser tonight, June 22 at Langermann's in Canton where guests will enjoy hors d'oeuvres, beer, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages. Tickets for the event are $40 and available at the door.

The CityLit Press publications will be available on Amazon.com, independent book stores throughout the region, and also at some area Barnes & Noble stores.

Source: Gregg Wilhelm, CityLit Project
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Gov. Martin O'Malley awarded 21 grants tototaling $1.2 million to area non-profits in round two of the "EmPOWER Clean Energy Communities" grant program. The program helps local governments and nonprofits fund energy efficiency projects aimed at low to moderate income Marylanders. The grants, overseen by theMaryland Energy Administration (MEA), are providing a total of over $3 million this fiscal year, broken into two rounds, to local governments and nonprofits across our One Maryland. The first round of these funds were used to perform energy retrofits to save money for at an estimated 1,000 low and moderate income Maryland families. This second round of funding, is going primarily to Maryland counties who did not exhaust their available funding for projects in round one.

"Building on the success of round one, these grants are an example of exactly the type of efficiency projects we had intended for Maryland communities and families when we entered into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the nation's first multi-state collaborative carbon cap-and-trade program," says Gov. O'Malley. "These grants are another step forward in our goal to make Maryland's future cleaner, greener, and more sustainable for all our citizens."

The grants are being awarded to a wide variety of projects that will build on the momentum of energy savings and decrease monthly electricity bills accomplished in round one. The round two projects range from Home Performance with Energy Star programs through Habitat for Humanity in Caroline, Calvert and St. Mary's Counties, among other locations across the State, to projects focused on the weatherization of homes and apartments in Kent and Talbot Counties.

Each Maryland county and Baltimore City was provided an allocation based on the number of low-to-moderate income households residing in the respective area. A listing of grants awarded in round two is detailed below.

Funding for the program comes from the Strategic Energy Investment Fund, which was created from public auctions of carbon credits through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Source: Maryland Energy Administration
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The winners of the 10th annual Maryland Incubator Company of the Year Awards were announced last Tuesday. The awards, presented by the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), RSM McGladrey Inc., and Saul Ewing LLP were chosen by a selection committee comprised of venture capitalists and government and business leaders. They recognize the achievements of eight companies currently located in Maryland's incubators and one graduate company.

"The finalists and winners of this year's awards program demonstrate the success that can be achieved through Maryland's Incubator program," says Gov. Martin O'Malley. "I congratulate the winners and thank all participants for playing an integral role in keeping the State of Maryland at the forefront of the U.S. technology marketplace."

"To ensure that incubator companies continue to grow, the Governor has introduced InvestMaryland, a new initiative to promote jobs and spur innovation, and invested in job-creating tools like the Biotech Tax Credit, which has been increased to $8 million this year, created a Hiring Tax Credit to help businesses both large and small put Marylanders back to work, and developed a Small Business Loan Guaranty fund to help push small business lending. These award winners demonstrate the success of those State programs," adds Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian S. Johansson.

The winning companies were selected based on the organization's goals and its success in achieving their objectives. Judges considered factors such as technology or product development; proprietary intellectual property; increase in employee numbers; growth in revenue or earnings; engagement of significant customers and strategic partners; receipt of awards or grants; attraction of outside investors; innovation; self-sufficiency; impact on the region; and usage of the incubator's services.

The categories and award winners are:

Life Science Company of the Year � CSA Medical Inc. (Emerging Technology Center, Baltimore) Created the CyroSpray Ablation System, a novel, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared energy based medical system that allows physicians to have the ability to quickly and easily freeze, destroy and remove unwanted tissue, freeing patients from discomfort and worry.

Information Technology Company of the Year � Moodlerooms, Inc. (Emerging Technology Center, Baltimore) Created the world's most widely used open-source learning management system (Moodle) that offers educators fully supported, feature-rich learning management tools at a fraction of the cost. 

Technology Service Company of the Year � B&D Consulting, Inc. (Technical Innovation Center, Hagerstown) A veteran, Small Business Administration (SBA) certified 8(a) small disadvantaged business founded by security engineers and information security professionals with more than 20 years experience in providing security services and solutions for both government and Fortune 500 organizations.

New Incubator Company of the Year � Kempbio, Inc. (Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc.) Specializes in the production of recombinant protein expression services which is used in the areas of drug discovery, vaccine research and diagnostic assays.

Technology Transfer Company of the Year �FlexEl, LLC (Technology Advancement Program, University of Maryland College Park) Commercializing a low-cost, high energy density power source for use in devices that require thin, safe, lightweight and flexible batteries. 

Homeland Security Company of the Year � Lookingglass Cyber Solutions (Emerging Technology Center, Baltimore) A cyber security software company delivering vision awareness and intelligence beyond the traditional boundaries to protect enterprise networks and critical infrastructure. The company's core product, ScoutVision™, monitors impacts to critical communications networks during cyber attacks, power outages, terror attacks and natural disasters.

Graduate Company of the Year � Get Real Consulting (Graduate of Shady Grove Innovation Center) Provides customized solutions to make cutting-edge technology user friendly through a cooperative approach to project management. The company has worked with clients such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Planned Parenthood and Kaiser Permanente to develop web applications that give patients more control of their personal health records.

Green Company of the Year (new category for 2010) � Clean Currents (Rockville Innovation Center) Provides area businesses, residents, and institutions with innovative green solutions to today's most pressing environmental and energy challenges. 

Robert A. Spar Hall of Fame �Ception Therapeutics (Shady Grove Innovation Center) A biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes novel products to address areas of unmet medical needs. It offers Reslizumab for eosinophilic inflammatory conditions. The company also provides Anti-TNF, a class of small molecule anti-TNF receptor agents with the potential to be orally administered. As of April 5, 2010, Ception Therapeutics, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Cephalon Inc.

Source: Maryland Technology Development Corporation
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Warschawski, a full service branding, marketing, public relations, advertising and interactive agency, based in Baltimore has been named the number one "Best Small Agency to Work For" in the country by The Holmes Report, the acclaimed national news and opinion publication for the communications industry.

In addition, Warschawski was ranked fourth as the best agency overall. This is the ninth year in a row that the agency has placed among the top 20 "Best Agencies to Work For" in the country and among the top 10 "Best Boutique Agencies." Warschawski was the only Maryland-headquartered firm to receive the award.

The Holmes Report turned to more than 5,700 employees throughout the United States asking them to answer questions about all aspects of their agency's culture, including the quality of management, compensation, commitment to client service, ethics and values. Survey responses were kept strictly confidential and could not be seen by any party other than.

"We are absolutely thrilled to be named the number one agency to work for in the U.S. We continuously strive to create a work environment that is thrilling and caring for our team members and our clients," commented. "Receiving this recognition for nine years in a row underscores the emphasis we place on doing great work and having fun at the same time � two things we take very seriously!" says David Warschawski, CEO of Warschawski

He attributes the agency's success with its employees to a philosophy that values people more than the bottom line.

"In 2009, as most agencies were laying off employees and cutting employee programs and benefits, we did the opposite. Instead of cutting costs in these areas during difficult economic times, we instead grew our investment in our people and our culture. All team members received significant raises during 2009 -- between 5 to 15 percent raises -- and most team members were promoted as well," Warchawski explains.

"Additionally, we did not cut any spending on team members (e.g. healthcare, gifts, parties, birthday wishes, education) or agency culture programs, such as our Martini Marketing events or our monthly half-day outings for all team members. We could have made these cuts and enjoyed a better bottom line, but that is what makes us different from other agencies," he continues.

To keep his staff happy and committed to the success of the agency, once a month the entire team goes out on a fun, half-day outing. Outings this past year included a hip-hop class, laser tag, a 70's themed murder mystery game, and dressing up as zombies and learning the Michael Jackson Thriller dance. And to make sure that planning the outings are not extra work, Warchawski says time spent on planning the outings are counted toward the fulfillment of team members' billable hour requirements.

This year the agency created the "ExTC Program" (the "External Thrill and Care" program) where Warschawski team members participate in public service/volunteer opportunities each quarter as way to give back to the community. just finished our Bowl-A-Thon for the Boys and Girls Club.

The agency's "birthday wish" program was also launched this year. It allows team members to create a unique "treat" that they want for their special day. This program was the brainchild of a team member and according to Warchawski, exemplifies the fun and open atmosphere Warschawski fosters -- empowering team members to express our brand in their own way.

Examples of recent "birthday wishes" include Halloween in the Spring complete with costumes, team members rapping their favorite 80s rap song for the birthday boy, and wear your favorite team jersey to the office day.

"Warschawski was founded on the ideal that doing great work and having a great time are not mutually exclusive concepts. In fact, we feel that the marriage of the two is a key component of our agency's success. That is why we place such great emphasis on creating a great workplace culture and why our agency has always ranked in the Top 20 Agencies to Work For in the U.S," he says.

The happiness of the staff has been an essential ingredient in the agency's success, according to Warchawski.

"Much of the reason why we have won 200 industry awards in the last ten years alone and been ranked as the #1 Small Agency in the U.S. for four of the last seven years is a direct reflection of the fact that a happy and motivated team of great folks will always create better results for clients than a moderately happy or unhappy team."

"Clients want to work with smart, accomplished people who love what they do and bring their excitement to bear on the work they are doing for the client. There is no question that when you have a team that is happy and motivated, they will be more engaged and do better work their clients. That translates into better results for our clients," he adds.

And there's even more good news! Warchawski is currently hiring and looking for other outstanding, motivated and fun marketing communications professionals to join our team.

Source: David Warchawski, Warchawski
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Baltimore-based Integrated Systems Research (ISR) Corporation recently announced the integration of its core technology with Garmin personal navigation devices. The integration adds dispatch and in-vehicle navigation capabilities to the ISR FleetTrack mobile resource management platform. QuickRoute, is integrated solution combines Garmin portable navigation devices with ISR's Silent Position Monitor (SPM) series of in-vehicle tracking hardware. 

The technology platform allows easy dispatching of job assignments directly to a driver's Garmin device. Drivers receive a single message containing detailed job assignments, and turn-by-turn directions, with voice prompts. Using QuickRoute, dispatchers can communicate directly with Garmin units in the field to find out what time a vehicle is projected to arrive at its assigned destination. The system also automatically sends dispatchers a confirmation message once a vehicle reaches an assigned job site.

QuickRoute enables fleet owners, managers and dispatchers to send job assignments to, communicate with, and monitor the activities of individual vehicles or the company's entire fleet. Incorporating Garmin's in-vehicle navigation and two-way text messaging capabilities with ISR FleetTrack should significantly increase the productivity and safety of companies using the QuickRoute solution.

"Garmin is at the leading edge of what they do, so we are excited to partner with them on this," says Yukie Novick, Integrated Systems Research Corporation's CEO. "The integrated solution gives our customers a powerful, easy-to-use, yet affordable way to dispatch job assignments and stay in touch with their drivers throughout the day. It's something our customers were asking for. We listened, and QuickRoute is the result."

Source: Integrated System Research Corporation
Writer: Walaika Haskins

As the drama of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to play out, the need for alternative sources of energy and energy conservation are gaining increasing attention. However, according to a recent Department of Energy study, a shortage of training is the major barrier to expanding home energy efficiency.

The Baltimore Center for Green Careers is a new training center intended to create an innovative green career workforce. Operated through Civic Works, Baltimore's urban service corps, the center opened its doors last week and should help solve the workforce shortage -- at least in Baltimore.

With a $532,319 grant from the Foundation for an OSI-Baltimore and a $524,023 grant from the Maryland Department of Human Resources (DHR), part of its Maryland RISE initiative (Reaching Independence and Stability through Employment), the program will promote sustainable employment in high demand "green collar" jobs for Baltimore's underserved populations.

This new program is particularly timely, given the increased interest in home energy efficiency, the recent Department of Energy report citing a shortage of training as the major barrier to expanding home energy efficiency and the launch of Governor O'Malley's Skills2Compete Maryland agenda.

The grant enables Civic Works to expand its B'more Green program, which will now train unemployed and underemployed Baltimore residents in providing energy retrofit services. This is in addition to B'more Green's existing training classes in brownfields remediation, hazard abatement, and environmental demolition. In addition, the funding has contributed to Civic Works being able to move its green jobs training operations to a dedicated building. Here it will be able to construct improved hands-on practice areas that better resemble the real work environments of abatement workers, environmental field technicians and energy retrofit workers.

The Baltimore Center for Green Careers is located in a 12,000 square foot facility in Moravia Business Park, 6260 Frankford Avenue. The center includes warehouse, classroom and hands-on training space, as well as meeting and office space. At the center installers will learn the principles of building science and how to use various diagnostic tools to identify sources of air infiltration.

"Getting Baltimoreans back to work in living wage high demand jobs is a win-win for everyone," says John Mello, Green Projects director, Civic Works. "Our programs have been transforming lives, but this grant will enable us to greatly expand our operation and provide much needed skills development in high demand jobs to Baltimore's unemployed and underemployed populations," he adds.

Working closely with the DHR, Civic Works will target Baltimore's unemployed and underemployed residents who are 18 and older and have one or more significant barriers to employment. The program will serve 44 participants over the two-year grant period. Of the 44 participants served, 24 will be trained in the three-month long energy retrofit installer training program, and 20 will be trained as environmental field technicians and abatement workers in the seven-week B'more Green program.

Graduates will learn how to make a house more energy efficient by providing services such as air sealing, insulation, and Cool Roofing. In addition to training, graduates will also receive job readiness and placement services. Graduates will be placed into entry-level green careers with environmental employers that offer a living wage ($12 to $16 per hour) and opportunities for advancement. Employers who hire graduates will be offered a wage subsidy for up to six months.

Civic Works will work to transition each installer graduate into an entry-level position with a home performance contractor, weatherization company, or a home builder interested in an entry-level employee with demonstrated energy retrofit skills. Environmental field technician and abatement worker graduates will be eligible for entry-level positions with brownfields remediation, hazard abatement, and environmental demolition firms. Entry into this specialized construction field is dependent upon the possession of environmental health and safety certifications. The graduates will also be eligible for entry-level jobs in the general construction trades.

Source: Baltimore Center for Green Careers
Writer: Walaika Haskins

ManTech International Corporation, a technical and engineering services firm based in Va.,  broke ground on its newest location at 4696 Millennium Drive in the Water's Edge Corporate Campus in Belcamp, Md., near Aberdeen Proving Ground.

The new facility will accommodate ManTech's growing Maryland workforce. The company currently has more than 700 employees in Maryland supporting a number of federal government and U.S. military organizations. When the building opens in March 2011, the company will occupy 63,000 square feet of the 125,000-square-foot space. ManTech expects to have 300 to 500 technology jobs at the location in the next three years.

Headquartered in Fairfax, Va., with approximately 9,000 employees, ManTech provides innovative technologies and solutions for mission-critical national security programs for the intelligence community; the departments of Defense, State, Homeland Security and Justice; the space community; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and other U.S. federal government customers.

The company's expertise includes systems engineering, systems integration, enterprise architecture, cyber security, information assurance, intelligence operations and analysis support, network and critical infrastructure protection, information operations and information warfare support, information technology, communications integration, global logistics and supply chain management, and service-oriented architectures.

Source: ManTech
Writer: Walaika Haskins