FOR ASSIGNMENT: Tuesday, March 5, 2013; 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

CONTACTS: Brice Freeman, Communications, 410-396-1910, bfreeman@oedworks.com Rosalind Howard, Business Services, 443-984-3014, rhoward@oedworks.com

Mayor Rawlings-Blake to Launch Local Hiring Strategy Employ Baltimore – Ready to Work for You provides employers with an easy and efficient way to find qualified employees Baltimore, Maryland (February 28, 2013) – Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will announce the launch of Employ Baltimore – Ready to Work for You, a collaborative campaign led by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and the Baltimore Workforce Investment Board. Coordinating with a diverse workforce partner network comprised of regional training vendors and educational institutions, Ready to Work for You will give employers an efficient, quick and reliable method for finding qualified city residents to fill their job needs. WHO: Members of the Baltimore Workforce Investment Board, chaired by John Ashworth, Senior Vice President Network Development, University of MD Medical System and Associate Dean, University of MD School of Medicine, representatives from workforce partner network, and Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Secretary Leonard J. Howie will join Mayor Rawlings-Blake. WHEN: Tuesday, March 5, 2013, 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. WHERE: Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Waterview Ballroom 700 Aliceanna Street BACKGROUND: MOED's Employ Baltimore strategies provide businesses with access to a pipeline of skilled candidates and customized workforce solutions to attract, retain and develop new and current employees. Ready to Work for You complements the Mayoral Employ Baltimore Executive Order, which requires most businesses who receive Baltimore City contracts to work with MOED in order to maximize the number of local hires for their job openings. Through action and influence, the Mayoral-appointed Baltimore Workforce Investment Board creates a public workforce engine driving Baltimore City toward sustained prosperity. ### In fiscal year 2012, the Mayor's Office of Employment Development hosted more than 145,000 visits from city residents at our one-stop career centers, provided computer literacy to more than 2,500 people at our Digital Learning Labs, and placed nearly 2,500 individuals in jobs. We connected more than 5,300 young people to summer employment and assisted more than 450 businesses through our Employ Baltimore strategy. MOED is committed to building a strong workforce for our city by developing meaningful partnerships with the local business community and connecting Baltimore citizens of all ages and backgrounds with jobs and pathways to careers.