RIT Certified aims to support learners and employers amidst economic disruption

Rochester Institute of Technology has launched a new organization committed to helping lift the economy and promote professional and economic mobility in the region, nation, and across the globe. RIT Certified will offer a portfolio of workforce development and professional training courses and programs to provide educational pathways to work and help close the talent gap for employers.

RIT Certified launched with a panel discussion of key employers, local government leaders, economic development leaders, and higher education experts on June 8. Viewers can watch a replay of the panel on the RIT Certified website.

The new initiative aims to meet the needs of the changing job market. A growing number of people are seeking new professional skills to enter the workforce, maintain their current job, switch jobs, or advance in their careers. At the same time, employers need more qualified talent with demonstrated skills that match their needs today.

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The RIT Certified leadership team includes, Dennis Di Lorenzo, left, Thérèse Hannigan, and Ian Mortimer.

The new RIT Certified unit is developing a diverse portfolio of alternative education courses, certificate programs, and skills-based learning experiences.

“We will serve as a bridge between learners and in-demand professional skills—and between employers and qualified, well-matched talent,” said Dennis Di Lorenzo, chief business officer of RIT Certified. “RIT Certified is also a solutions partner to employers, helping them develop potential in current employees, and providing a better model to assess talent as they recruit.” 

The courses and programs through RIT Certified are shaped by employer and learner demand. Much of the curriculum will be co-developed with practicing industry professionals in order to reflect the current needs of real employers.

“RIT Certified is a key partner to employers, ensuring better measures to assess talent as they recruit, so they can hire individuals who hit the ground running from day one,” said Ian Mortimer, vice president for Enrollment Management and associate provost for RIT Certified.

The first programs to launch will train learners in in-demand fields, including behavioral health, microelectronic engineering, design reasoning, and law and technology.

“We are committed to providing relevant, flexible, and accessible educational pathways to work,” said Thérèse Hannigan, RIT Certified’s chief learning experience officer. “We design high-quality, rigorous, skills-based learning experiences, co-developed by employers so learners can hit the ground running on day one of a job.”

RIT Certified will begin offering courses and programs in fall 2022. To learn more, go to the RIT Certified website.