(3/2021) New Online Learning Platform Available for County Residents

Frederick County Workforce Services, the local leader in workforce development initiatives, has launched "SkillUp Frederick County" – a comprehensive online learning platform with a wide variety of career training modules designed to close skills gaps in the local workforce.

"We are excited to deliver an additional workforce development solution to help our community address current workforce challenges," shares Workforce Services Director Michelle Day. "With this tool, individuals looking for a job can boost their qualifications to meet the needs and expectations of businesses that are hiring. It’s a win-win for both job seekers and employers."

Course topics range from Management and Leadership to IT, Finance, Digital Literacy, Customer Service, and more. There are over 5,000 courses and more than 100 industry certifications available through the platform.

Supported by Metrix Learning, SkillUp Frederick County also includes skill assessments (300+ skill tracks) and career exploration tools (200+ occupations) in addition to the extensive course catalog. All SkillUp Frederick County resources are being offered to residents at no cost, and there are no limits to the number of courses taken within a six-month training period.

SkillUp Frederick County is accessible now on www.FrederickWORKS.com, a go-to destination for job search and career planning resources, as well as recruitment and training solutions for businesses. Visitors can click on the Job Seekers tab for immediate access to the online learning platform.

For more information, visit www.FrederickWORKS.com.

Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation Program

The Frederick Agricultural Land Preservation Program has opened up an application cycle for the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) Easement program. The MALPF program purchases agricultural preservation easements that forever restrict development on prime farmland and woodland. Since the MALPF program began in 1977, it has preserved more than 22,000 acres of farmland in Frederick County.

MALPF was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1977 and is part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture. MALPF is one of the most successful programs of its kind in the country. The State of Maryland, with the work of the Foundation and its State and local partners, has preserved in perpetuity more agricultural land than any other state in the country.

Interested applicants should contact Land Preservation Planner II Shannon O’Neil at 301-600-1411 or via e-mail at soneil@frederickcountymd.gov.

MALPF is one of several agricultural preservation programs managed by the Frederick County Division of Planning and Permitting. Together, the programs have permanently preserved 64,207 acres of agricultural farmland.

Catoctin Mountain Park proposed utility system upgrade

The National Park Service (NPS) invites public comment through March 15 on a proposal to replace aging infrastructure at Catoctin Mountain Park. Through this project, the NPS would upgrade outdated utility systems to better meet today’s standards and to improve the visitor experiences.

The NPS proposes to make several improvements, including:

• Replace critical infrastructure parkwide, such as potable water, sanitary sewer and electrical with new systems that meet operational standards and regulatory requirements.
• Consolidate the water treatment and distribution system into a centralized location to improve systems efficiency and reliability.
• Improve the fire hydrant system to provide appropriate water flow and effective fire engine response to protect park assets and human safety.
• Upgrade the communication fiberoptic network to allow remote monitoring of water systems.

Public participation is vital to the planning process. There are several ways to get involved. The public is invited to review the proposed strategy for the utility replacement and provide comments through March 15. To provide comments online or get additional information on the proposed project, please visit the NPS planning website at: www.parkplanning.nps.gov/cato_utility.

Your comments will inform the NPS development of an environmental assessment that will evaluate impacts to park resources. The EA will be available for review at the end of March.