MEDIA ADVISORY: 2023 Connecticut Workforce Summit

Connecticut is facing a workforce crisis–the state has almost 100,000 job openings, while our labor force has declined more than 42,000 people in the past 12 months.

Finding solutions requires a range of approaches and broad collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Key stakeholders from industry, education, community-based organizations, and the public sector are coming together at the 2023 Connecticut Workforce Summit on Friday, April 21 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville.

The summit is a collaboration between CBIA, the Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, Governor’s Workforce Council, ReadyCT, and Social Venture Partners Connecticut.

The event emphasizes partnerships that strengthen, enrich, and expand public-private ecosystems that ensure all individuals, especially those from historically underserved communities, can access the necessary training, education, and support to pursue meaningful, rewarding careers.

Speakers include Opportunity@Work founder and CEO Byron Auguste and Jobs for the Future’s Tameshia Bridges Mansfield, who will explore innovative ideas and best practices for real-world, collaborative, and solutions-oriented approaches.

Gov. Ned Lamont and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary Luke Rhine will speak with high school and community college students to understand their perspective on the workforce crisis. 

Media interested in attending this event should contact Scott Beaulieu (860.244.1929).

AGENDA

8 am | Networking & Breakfast

9 am | Welcome Remarks

• Chris DiPentima, President & CEO, CBIA
• Kelli-Marie Vallieres, Chief Workforce Officer, Connecticut Office of Workforce Strategy; Vice Chair, Governor’s Workforce Council

9:15 am | Economic Mobility: Challenges & Opportunities

• Introduction: Mark Argosh, Executive Director, Social Venture Partners Connecticut; Chair, Governor’s Workforce Council
• Byron Auguste, CEO & Co-Founder, Opportunity@Work

10 am | Building a Partnership-Driven Ecosystem

• Moderator: Terrence Cheng, President, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities
• Michelle Gilman, Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Administrative Services
• Robert Griffiths, VP, Quality, Pratt & Whitney
• John Schwartz, SVP, Human Resources, Trinity Health
• Garrett Sheehan, President & CEO, Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce

11 am | Networking Break

11:15 am | Good Jobs: Innovation & System Transformation

• Introduction: Tom Daugherty, Managing Partner, KPMG
• Tameshia Bridges Mansfield, VP, Workforce & Regional Economies, Jobs for the Future

12 noon | Career Pathways: The Student Perspective

• Introduction: Charlene Russell-Tucker, Commissioner, Connecticut State Department of Education
• U.S. Department of Education Deputy Assistant Secretary Luke Rhine talks with students Liberty Blanco (Weaver High School), Gabrielle Hendricks (East Hartford High School), Bryan Ortiz (Hartford Public High School), Julia Revellese (Quinebaug Community College), Luis Sánchez-Chiriboga (Northwestern Connecticut Community College), and Gov. Ned Lamont.

12:45 pm | Networking Lunch

• How States Can Lead on Workforce Development: Luke Rhine, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Career, Technical & Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education

1:45 pm | Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access: At Work & in the Community

• Moderator: Nicole Murdoch, Director, DEI Committee Eastern Massachusetts & Connecticut, CGI
• Wes Alexander, VP, Workforce Solutions, The Travelers Group
• George Anderson, SVP, Chief Learning Officer, Synchrony Financial
• Dr. Monette Ferguson, Executive Director, Alliance for Community Empowerment
• Joseph Gianni, Market President, Hartford Region, Bank of America

2:45 pm | Roundtable Discussions

• Introduction: Shannon Marimón, Executive Director, ReadyCT

3:30 pm | 2023 Commitments

4 pm | Networking Reception

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CBIA is Connecticut’s largest business organization, with thousands of member companies, small and large, representing a diverse range of industries from every part of the state. For more information, please contact Scott Beaulieu (860.244.1929).