The Maryland Tech Council and Mount St. Mary’s team up to make tech ed easier

In a new partnership with Mount St. Mary’s University (MSMU), the Maryland Tech Council (MTC) has a new resource for continuing education.

MSMU and MTC are partnering up to offer a 20% tuition discount for member companies’ workers looking to study in the school’s Division of Continuing Studies at its Frederick, Maryland satellite campus. The 720 member companies can offer the credit to employees studying data science, logistics, supply chain management, business administration, biotech, project management and cybersecurity. Employees may use the discount for certifications or the accelerated graduate and undergraduate degrees the division offers both on-campus and online.

Kelly Schulz, CEO of MTC, said that offering this continuing education resource will help member companies best nurture their talent.

“It’s really important for higher education, in general, to look at ways to have a continuous path to create different opportunities for people as they go through there their career lifecycle,” Schulz told Technical.ly.

According to Schulz, MTC represents about 160,000 employees across Maryland, and workforce development and growth are constant necessities. Members, she said, always hunt for new ways to upskill and create career pathways for existing talent. She hopes adding options for recertification will keep valued employees at a company — something that’s needed in a difficult economic environment.

“That’s one of the hardest parts that we hear from our employers: It’s not just attracting the talent, it’s retaining good talent,” Schulz said. “Those companies that invest in their employees are the ones that have a much easier time retaining the talent that they have.”

MSMU Executive Director of Communications Donna Klinger confirmed that the discount is available to all employees of MTC member companies, not just Maryland residents. The decision to work with MTC, she noted, goes along with the partnerships that the school already has with area companies and organizations. Members can sign up immediately with the discount, and the second summer term starts July 3.

“This just seemed to make go a lot of sense because we offer a lot of coursework that can help people advance in their careers,” Klinger said.

For Schulz, continuing education is particularly important for tech because it’s an industry that changes all the time — most lately with the rise of AI. Even folks that have a four-year degree in computer science will eventually need to return for continuing education.

“Everything changes overnight,” Schulz said. “You’re going to have to learn exactly what it is that the next generation of AI is going to bring out. Or, if you’re in energy tech, what are the next research projects that are happening and how do you get rolled up into that?”