Despite Pandemic, Good Jobs Abound In Baltimore Region

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on the local and national economy. Maryland’s unemployment rate stands at about 8%, much better than much of the rest of the country, but still, more than a quarter of a million Marylanders are out of work. Some businesses, like airlines, restaurants, and entertainment venues, have suffered badly in the COVID 19 economy. But other businesses are thriving. Yesterday, for example, Apple became the first US company to reach a 2 trillion dollar market cap. And as more consumers stay out of brick-and-mortar stores in favor of on-line shopping, Amazon has had a banner year. Since March, Amazon stock has increased by more than $1,500 per share. It’s currently selling at about $3,200. And the grocery industry has fared well during the pandemic, too, with the region’s largest food retailer, European-owned Giant Food, enjoying steady growth in earnings since March.Amazon and Giant Food are just two among scores of employers, large and small, now hiring aggressively in the Baltimore region and beyond...We’ll hear about some of those employment opportunities today as Tom talks first with Anirban Basu, an economist and CEO of the Sage Policy Group, an economic and policy consulting company he founded 16 years ago. He’s also the host of the Morning Economic Report, heard daily here on WYPR.Then, Tom is joined by Courtney Johnson-Norman, a communications specialist with Amazon Operations, which runs the company’s four Maryland fulfillment centers; and later, by Kendra Logan, a Human Resource Business Partner for Giant Food. Both guests describe an abundance of job openings at their companies and how job seekers can apply. All Tom’s guests today joined him via Zoom.To learn more about working at Amazon, visit aboutamazon.com/working-at-amazon.Information about positions with Giant Food can be found on the company’s careers website at giantfood.com/pages/careers.Also check out these local employment resources:Mayor’s Office of Employment Development Baltimore County Office of Economic DevelopmentMaryland Department of Labor Employment Job FairsEmail us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.