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Discovery Launches Nationwide Jobs Program At Montgomery College

By: Matt Bush // August 24, 2011
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Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav speaks at Montgomery College, unveiling the new program.
Matt Bush
Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav speaks at Montgomery College, unveiling the new program.

In Maryland, Discovery Communications, which owns the Discovery Channel, is launching a jobs skills program for students in community colleges. Discovery didn't have to go far to find a school where they could start the program.

Discovery's headquarters are in Silver Spring, and the first school that will benefit from the program is Montgomery College, which has a campus just down Georgia Avenue from the Discovery Channel's headquarters.

David Zaslav, the company's CEO, says they chose community colleges because those schools offer majors that target areas of need in the job market that many traditional schools do not, such as manufacturing, health care, energy and technology, and food services.

Zaslav noted they will eventually expand the program nationally, but for now, it will be just Montgomery College students who get the boost.

"Our program will include sharing expertise and experience from our staff as lecturers and mentors, providing internship opportunities, and resume development," he added.

Some of Discovery's on-air hosts could be even lecturers at the school. Those hosts have already cut promos for the program, which will start airing on all of Discovery's TV channels soon.

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