RILA’s new partnership aims to create a new retail talent pipeline
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) is making a move that it hopes will attract and retain a new retail workforce.
Through a collaboration with Intel and universities across North America, RILA is working to create a retail-tech talent pipeline. The goal of the project is to expose and attract young people with technology backgrounds to opportunities in retail.
Called the (R)Tech Talent Pipeline, the program will include a network of live-learning stores at Arizona State University, McGill University, and the University of Minnesota, and retail-focused collaborations with Georgia Tech, Santa Clara University, and Texas A&M, among others. The on-campus physical learning stores at each university will test creative new store concepts, and engage students and faculty alike, in the industry’s future. These live-learning stores will also feature hackathons, facilitate global case competitions, and offer online certifications.
“Accelerating retail innovation has been RILA’s mission from day one,” said Adam Siegel, senior VP of innovation for RILA.
“As retailers continue to transform, RILA is committed to help them attract the best talent that will build their businesses to meet consumers’ changing needs,” he said. “We are thrilled to work with Intel and our university partners to build a dynamic, creative, fun, and entrepreneurial network that exposes future employees to the exciting opportunities in retail.”
In addition to attracting a new talent pool, the (R)Tech Center for Innovation also empowers retail innovation chiefs, and exposes other executives to the technologies and innovations driving change in retail.
“The retail industry is evolving and with it, so are the needs to speed the pace of innovation and to attract diverse talent,” said Stacey Shulman, CIO of Intel's retail solutions division. “RILA and Intel’s collaboration will offer students exposure to the opportunities within the retail ecosystem and retailers the access to a new generation of innovators.”
Through a collaboration with Intel and universities across North America, RILA is working to create a retail-tech talent pipeline. The goal of the project is to expose and attract young people with technology backgrounds to opportunities in retail.
Called the (R)Tech Talent Pipeline, the program will include a network of live-learning stores at Arizona State University, McGill University, and the University of Minnesota, and retail-focused collaborations with Georgia Tech, Santa Clara University, and Texas A&M, among others. The on-campus physical learning stores at each university will test creative new store concepts, and engage students and faculty alike, in the industry’s future. These live-learning stores will also feature hackathons, facilitate global case competitions, and offer online certifications.
“Accelerating retail innovation has been RILA’s mission from day one,” said Adam Siegel, senior VP of innovation for RILA.
“As retailers continue to transform, RILA is committed to help them attract the best talent that will build their businesses to meet consumers’ changing needs,” he said. “We are thrilled to work with Intel and our university partners to build a dynamic, creative, fun, and entrepreneurial network that exposes future employees to the exciting opportunities in retail.”
In addition to attracting a new talent pool, the (R)Tech Center for Innovation also empowers retail innovation chiefs, and exposes other executives to the technologies and innovations driving change in retail.
“The retail industry is evolving and with it, so are the needs to speed the pace of innovation and to attract diverse talent,” said Stacey Shulman, CIO of Intel's retail solutions division. “RILA and Intel’s collaboration will offer students exposure to the opportunities within the retail ecosystem and retailers the access to a new generation of innovators.”