“We’ve Got Your Back”–Governor Moore Addresses Workforce Amid Federal Shutdown Concerns
Governor Wes Moore today joined a roundtable with workforce development service providers to discuss the impacts of the federal government shutdown—now entering its fourth week. The discussion was hosted at the Mobilize Montgomery Federal Workforce Career Center in Montgomery County, a first-in-the-nation career center created exclusively to address the employment needs of displaced federal workers and contractors. The Mobilize Montgomery Federal Workforce Career Center opened this month and is centrally located in Montgomery County, where tens of thousands of residents work for the federal government.
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“The fact that Maryland is the first state in the country to stand up an emergency action center like this one is a point of pride. But it shouldn’t be a surprise,” said Gov. Moore. “When our people are in trouble, we step up. Even if the federal government isn’t willing to do their job, we will do our job. I want to say to all of our federal workers, loudly and clearly: “We’ve Got Your Back.”
The Mobilize Montgomery Federal Workforce Career Center opened this month and is centrally located in Montgomery County, where tens of thousands of residents work for the federal government. While Maryland’s American Job Centers actively address employment needs in more than 30 locations across the state, the Federal Workforce Career Center provides complementary resources and dedicates personalized services to help federal workers, whose highly specialized areas of expertise often require a unique approach to the job search process.
Located within the Wheaton American Job Center at 11510 Georgia Avenue in Wheaton, MD, the Federal Workforce Career Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jobseekers who are interested in the center’s services should visit the Mobilize Montgomery website at mobilize-montgomery.com/fwcc. While walk-ins are accepted, the center recommends making an appointment to visit the center.
Jobseekers who need help or have questions are encouraged to email fwcc@worksourcemontgomery.com or call 240-283-1509.
As the shutdown continues, Maryland will continue to offer a broad range of supports for federal employees and other workers impacted by federal actions, such as:
- Support in finding a new job through 33 American Job Centers and a specialized Professional Outplacement Assistance Center, including individualized career guidance, résumé workshops, mock interviews, career and skills assessment, effective job search strategies, and networking support;
- Additional career resources, such as information on transitioning to a teaching career;
- A weekly virtual workshop designed specifically for former federal employees and federal contractors, and attended by more than 1,700 workers to date;
- Job fairs and recruitment events;
- Unemployment insurance;
- Resources for veterans;
- Legal resources; and
- Resources related to health coverage, housing, and food, cash, and other assistance.
The Moore-Miller Administration is also working to ensure that major federal programs—including Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, Head Start, and veterans’ services—can continue to operate to the maximum extent possible for Marylanders despite the extreme disruption and uncertainty at the federal level during this shutdown.