First-of-its-Kind Partnership Further Advances Montgomery County, Maryland’s Defense Manufacturing Talent Pipeline

Montgomery County, Maryland, is known for its highly-specialized talent pipeline across all industries, from Research & Development to Space & Defense and the Innovation Economy. With over 33 percent of adults aged 25 or older holding an advanced degree, it isn’t a coincidence that the County is able to supply companies with an abundance of talent—it is by design and is supported by coordinated efforts between local partners, including government, global companies, and higher-education institutions.

The latest example of this is the partnership between Hughes Network Systems, a global satellite communications leader with nearly 1,500 employees split between its two locations in Montgomery County, and the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology (PIC MC) Montgomery College, Maryland’s top-ranked community college. Recently, the company announced that through its EXM manufacturing facility on Montgomery College’s Germantown campus, which opened in 2025 and is the first of its kind on a community college campus in the United States, students will be able to gain hands-on experience while working alongside industry professionals in an active manufacturing operation.

“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation,” said Tommy Luginbill, executive director of PIC MC. “It happens when students, entrepreneurs, researchers, and established companies work side by side. That’s exactly what we’re building at PIC MC. Whether it’s introducing a startup to an industry partner or giving students hands-on experience in advanced manufacturing, we’re helping create the workforce and partnerships that will drive Maryland’s innovation economy for years to come.”

“We’re proud to partner with Montgomery College and the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology to help prepare the next generation of engineers, technicians, and advanced manufacturing professionals,” according to Hughes. “As demand for satellite communications talent continues to grow, investing in workforce development has never been more important.”

This new partnership joins other Montgomery County workforce development programs like BioHub Maryland, which provides NIBRT-approved trainings and curriculum to veterans, high school graduates, residents from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those who do not have advanced degrees. To date, the program has had over 300 participants.

In a recent panel on workforce development in Montgomery County, MCEDC President & CEO Jared Smith emphasized how a strong talent pipeline is one of the most important factors in influencing where companies choose to invest, expand and grow: “In the word that we live in today, the number one concern of any company is can you give me the workforce I need tomorrow? Can you give me the workforce I need for the next decade?” In Montgomery County, because of workforce development partnerships like Montgomery College and Hughes’ that are cultivating students that meet the current and future needs of companies, talent is a guarantee.