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Walter L. Simmons

Career Success Month 2025 Keynote Address

The Prince George's County Memorial Library presents a keynote address by Walter L. Simmons, Founding President & CEO of Employ Prince George's, Inc., and the Executive Director of the Prince George's County Workforce Development Board, to help launch the Maryland State Library Agency’s 2025 Career Success Month.

This year's inspiring theme is "Upskill and Uplift the Future Workforce."

Employers' expectations are shifting at a rapid pace. Understanding various cultures and generations is also critical to keeping up the pace in modern workplace environments. The workplace is no longer the traditional brick-and-mortar experience; there are teleworking and hybrid locations and satellite offices overseas. To grow upward and outward, a job seeker or current employee must improve their abilities for success to keep up and thrive in today's workforce.

Career Success Month aims to reassure participants about the value of library resources, programs, and partnerships in helping them stay competitive, whether they are looking to advance their careers or pivot into new industries. This year's "Upskill and Uplift" theme emphasizes equipping employees with knowledge to meet multiple industry demands while promoting personal and professional development. Whether an employee wants to gain more technological skills, learn a new language, seek a promotion, or gain a new skill to change careers, this month of classes throughout Maryland libraries will provide many topics that are directly relevant to the modern workplace. 

This evening's speaker, Walter L. Simmons, is one of two dynamic keynote speakers who will share their insights and experiences for Career and Success Month 2025.

This project is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act Administered by the Maryland State Library Agency.

Walter L. Simmons is the Founding President & CEO of Employ Prince George’s, Inc. and the Executive Director of the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board. Walter partnered with Prince George’s County Government and the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board to found Employ Prince George’s and redesign the Prince George’s County Public Workforce System in 2018. Walter is passionate about creating equitable access to economic success for people, businesses, and communities.

Along with founding Employ Prince George’s, Walter led Employ Prince George’s and the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board in creating America’s first local workforce system operating as a free membership network, the Prince George’s County American Job Center Community Network. Today, the Prince George’s County American Job Center Community Network and Employ Prince George’s have partnered with over 200 partners, served over 90,000 job seekers, assisted over 8,500 businesses, and helped over 15,000 Prince George’s County residents secure employment.

Walter volunteers with multiple nonprofits in his spare time, including serving as the Chair of the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations and IMPACTdmv. He is also a Member of the Board of Directors for the Bi-County Business Roundtable, the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, and the National Association of Workforce Boards. In 2022 the National Association of Workforce Boards awarded Employ Prince George’s and the Prince George’s County Workforce Development Board as their 2022 WIOA Trailblazer, followed by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals honoring Walter as their Workforce Development Professional of the Year in 2023. Walter has also been recognized twice as one of the Maryland Daily Record’s Most Admired CEOs, one of Maryland’s Most Influential Professionals, and a Washington Business Journal 40 under 40.