ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today touted the success of the County’s first-ever Federal Workers Career Fair. Nearly 600 people attended the event held at Howard Community College and was Ball’s response to the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders that have upended many federal workers’ lives.
We know that many of our residents who work for the federal government, are contractors, or otherwise impacted, are scrambling to find childcare, resources, and in some cases, new jobs because they were terminated. We want to show our hardworking civil servants that Howard County has their back. This career fair was a win-win for job seekers and employers alike. We will continue to connect our residents with valuable County resources to help them through these turbulent times.
Howard County is home to thousands of federal contractors, many of whom will be impacted by the current actions of the federal government. Between 2000 and 2020, Howard County companies were awarded more than 38,000 defense contracts, totaling more than $33 billion. While data from the last five years is not currently publicly available, in 2020 alone, defense contractors in the county received approximately $2.2 billion across 2,790 contracts.
In partnership with the Howard County Economic Development Authority and Howard County Chamber, more than 50 employers attended the fair, including 13 County departments. Howard Community College’s Career Services offered resume writing and social media presence tips for attendees to enhance their resume and tips to create a professional online presence in an interactive session.
The County’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD) provided personalized career counseling for attendees who may be facing uncertainty as they navigate career changes, or those simply seeking professional advice on job search strategies.
Maryland’s Department of Labor held mock interview sessions to help attendees build confidence and sharpen interview skills. From answering common interview questions, to learning how to receive constructive feedback, to knowing how to effectively showcase qualifications, attendees learned best practices for critical job interviews.
The County’s Department of Recreation & Parks offered free childcare during the fair for parents. Professional headshots were offered free of charge by Todd Dring Photography.
The career fair is the County’s latest effort to help county residents who are federal employees navigate the negative effects of President Trump’s and the Department of Government Efficiency's flurry of directives aimed at significantly shrinking the federal government.
On February 4th, more than 400 federal employees attended the Ball's Federal Workers’ Forum to share their concerns, access resources, and hear how the County is planning on supporting them during these difficult times.
Since then, the County has received 100 direct email inquiries to the specially created hocohelp@howardcountymd.gov email address. Additionally, the County has received 51 phone calls and 29 requests for expanded childcare and summer camp access through Recreation & Parks.
The County has filed emergency legislation which would expand the County’s interview lists to specifically include additional applicants who are qualified for available County jobs and have been impacted by the federal reduction in force. OWD is also offering extended career counseling, resume assistance and LinkedIn training.
Additional ways the County is helping impacted federal workers:
- Recreation & Parks is expanding their Before- and After-School Care, which is currently available at 23 elementary schools in the county.
- The Community Action Council of Howard County's Food Bank will provide pre-bagged shelf-stable food for federal employees for up to three months.
- The Department of Housing and Community Development is offering direct support for federal workers facing unexpected financial crises.
- Flash Bus Rapid Transit Expansion (Howard-Montgomery County Partnership)
- US 29 Corridor to Silver Spring approved and moving forward.
- Anticipated launch in 2026, providing federal workers direct access to Washington-area transit services.
- 988 Crisis Line is open for anyone seeking mental health support during this period of uncertainty.
- The County will consider requests to change elections in flexible spending accounts for childcare if an employee has experienced a significant change in their childcare arrangements.