Shaping CT’s Future: Workforce Development Velocity spotlighted a critical turning point for Connecticut: with over 85,000 job openings across the state and 78% of businesses struggling to find talent, rapid technological shifts and AI are redefining what it means to be career-ready.
Hosted on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) by CT’s leading brand marketing agency, Rebellion Group, the summit brought together leaders across business, education, policy, technology, and workforce development to address the urgent need for workforce upskilling and strategic alignment across the region.
The conversation made clear that Connecticut’s future workforce will depend on how quickly employers, educators, policymakers, and individuals adapt to AI integration, shifting skill demands, and changing economic realities—with estimates showing over a million workers needing upskilling over the next five years.
Before taking the stage to lead the event, Bryn Tindall (CEO) and BJ Kito (President/CSO) sat down with FOX61‘s Jim Altman to discuss the urgent need for workforce adaptation. The discussion explored how AI is reshaping the job market, why traditional training programs need foundational retooling, and how bringing cross-industry stakeholders into the same room can turn dialogue into actionable pilot programs and long-term economic momentum.
“There’s 85,000 job openings, 78% of businesses are struggling to find talent, and with the evolution of the workforce, over a million jobs—a third of our population—will require upscaling over the next five years,” said Kito. “Getting people in the same room and pushing for real action, pilot programs, and things that create real change has been the best thing to see.”
“We see this very much as a movement, not just an event series,” added Tindall. “We were looking at applicant pools and finding that even with amazing skills, we almost have to start over with foundational retooling around AI. If you think about how people learn and how jobs will evolve, you see a systemic challenge building—and that’s why we pulled the right leaders together to address it.”
If you want to learn more about events like this, head to shapingctsfuture.com.