Insurance Careers Month Kickoff Effort to Hire 400K

First Annual Insurance Careers Month Launches February 2016. Effort Focuses on Recruiting, Training & Hiring 400,000 Millennials by 2020.

The insurance industry and its partners are joining forces to launch the first annual Insurance Careers Month, February 2016 to recruit, train and hire a new generation of insurance professionals to fill an estimated 400,000 industry jobs by 2020. The focus is on recruiting millennials to take over the roles of industry professionals across the nation and in Arizona who are on the eve of retirement. Rio Salado is spearheading the Maricopa Community Colleges efforts to help.

“We know through research that many millennials have expressed a deep passion for helping people, so who better to serve in this industry,” said Otis White, Rio Salado’s faculty chair for business programs. “We’re hoping through this campaign they get curious, investigate and learn about the enriching and rewarding opportunities within the insurance industry—and also consider our new Insurance Studies program.”

Rio Salado collaborated with Glendale and Mesa Community Colleges and 35 insurance professionals from 20 different insurance companies to develop a new Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Insurance Studies, which is the first of its kind in Arizona and for community colleges in direct response to the industry’s need for qualified workers.

The 18-credit certificate focuses on general knowledge of the industry, and touches on property and liability insurance, personal insurance and commercial insurance.

Students have the option of taking online classes at Rio Salado and in-person classes at GCC and MCC. Students who complete the certificate can transfer into a variety of business programs offered at Arizona’s public universities.

Program requirements and additional details are available at www2.gccaz.edu/insurance-studies and www.riosalado.edu/insurance. Information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of students who attend this program will be available at gccaz.edu/gainful-employment, mesacc.edu/programs/gainful-employment and www.riosalado.edu/insurance_ccl.

Several organizations, including Hamilton Insurance Group, MyPath (powered by The Institutes), Valen Analytics, The Jacobson Group, InVEST and PCI, have committed to taking part in February’s Insurance Careers Month, which is the first in a series of recruitment efforts promoting insurance as a “career trifecta” because of the stable, rewarding and limitless opportunities the industry offers.

Leading industry CEOs including Brian Duperreault of Hamilton Insurance Group, Inga Beale of Lloyd’s of London and Dan Glaser of Marsh & McLennan Companies have published an open letter calling for brokers, carriers and business partners to get involved.

“Our industry is at a critical juncture, with new risks fueled by rapidly evolving technology,” said Duperreault. “It’s an exciting time to work in companies that help keep individuals, families, communities and governments safe.”

“Maricopa County has become a major center of regional management for the industry's leading companies,” said White. “We can expect to see approximately 7,500 new insurance industry jobs created in the next three years that will need to be filled.”

Many people, especially students and young professionals may not readily see how their career goals are in sync with the insurance industry.

MyPath, www.insuremypath.org, is a non-profit organization that provides free services to help career seekers choose a specialty that meets their personal and professional goals, details about various careers and the impact they will have on the world around them. It also includes details about scholarships, internships and other resources to help people transition into the industry.

The Maricopa Corporate College is hosting several, State Farm job fairs in 2016, including this event on Feb 10:


State Farm Job Fair
February 10, 2016
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.Phoenix College
1202 W. Thomas Rd.
Phoenix, AZ, 85013 (Map)
Hannelly Center Room | Bear Trax Room

Positions available in Customer Service, Sales and Auto Claims. Visit this web page for the latest details.

To learn more about Rio Salado's new Insurance Studies program, visit: www.riosalado.edu/insurance.