Please join RIT for a night of conversation and cocktail reception to celebrate the launch of our new workforce development initiative called RIT Certified. This panel event will be moderated by Dennis Di Lorenzo, workforce development expert and Chief Business Officer for RIT Certified. The panel discussion will center around the beginning of a new approach to how employers, government, and nonprofits can lean on RIT in new ways. A reception will be held at the conclusion of the panel discussion, providing the opportunity for all present to continue this important conversation. 

A number of employers are realizing that sole reliance on traditional degrees is not getting them the depth and breadth they need in applicant pools to supply their job demands or to provide the diverse workforce they desire. The talent gap is a huge (and expensive) problem for many organizations. When employees lack the skills companies need to stay competitive, workers–and the organizations themselves–struggle to meet operational demands and plan for the future. 

As New Yorkers continue to struggle to find work and opportunity due to economic disruption, the creation of RIT Certified signals RIT’s recommitment to our regional workforce, community, and employers. The Western New York region is equally committed to improving workforce development programs and practices to better align with the needs and priorities of today’s employers.

To that end, we have convened panelists representing employers, key stakeholders from Western New York, the State of New York, Monroe County,  and RIT to share perspectives on the pressing challenges affecting our job economy today, including:

• How can higher education, government, employers, and the workforce coalesce to promote workforce readiness? 
• What roles do alternative credentialing models have in workforce development and professional mobility?
• What are the most pressing skills gaps in our regional economies?
• How can we provide education and a credentialing model that supports job mobility and addresses employer needs in the market?
• What are the challenges facing employers relating to attracting and retaining talent?
• How can we attract employers to the region and promise we will have a workforce ready to employ?

RIT Provost and Sr. Vice President of Academic Affairs Ellen Granberg, will kick off the evening with introductions and remarks, followed by the panel discussion. Ian Mortimer, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Associate Provost for RIT Certified will deliver closing remarks. The evening will conclude with a cocktail reception. 

Event Timeline

5:15 - 5:45    Arrival 

5:45 - 6:30    Panel discussion 

6:30 - 7:30    Cocktail reception 

About RIT Certified

RIT Certified is the future of workforce and professional education. We’re on a mission to provide personalized up-skilling opportunities to individuals and entire organizations through skills-based pathways developed alongside industry leaders. We are a solutions partner to employers, helping to solve their attraction, retention, and talent pipeline challenges. From the education experts at RIT.

About Dennis Di Lorenzo 

Dennis is a workforce development expert and advocate for educational access and job and economic mobility for all. With 25+ years of experience in higher education leadership, training, and education, he is both adept and passionate about building quality training programs that produce better outcomes for employers and individuals in the workforce.