By Jim Lombardo, CPCU, AAI, AIM, MBA, AVP of Learning & Development
I want to share a bit about an event I was part of recently at SUNY Oswego. Working closely with their Career Services Department, we put on a "Careers in Insurance" workshop for some students in the college's Insurance and Risk Management major.
I was fortunate enough be joined by one of our member agents as well as some staff people from Utica National and NYCM. I truly appreciate these professionals taking some time in their very busy schedules to help me with this event.
Each presenter spent 15-20 minutes talking to the students about things like- what they do, what tools they use, what a typical day is like, how they got into the insurance industry and what they look for in an employee.
While the room certainly wasn't standing room only, those present were engaged, asked great questions and sought us out after the event was officially over.
I share this with you for a few different reasons...
- We need to do more of these types of events (contact me so we can help arrange and support it)
- The industry needs to do a much better job promoting what we do, how we do it and all the different careers inside and outside insurance agencies
- We need to contemplate and address the upcoming exodus of people retiring from the insurance industry in the next 5- 10 years- a recent study conducted by NY First estimates more than 400,000 insurance job openings predicted country wide in the next few years
What is your agency doing to plan for the future? Do you have some younger people ready, willing and able to take the reins of leadership? How are you accommodating them? Do they know of your intentions? Can you work together on a succession plan? What other things can you do (and how can we help?) to ensure your customers are taken care of and remain with your agency for the foreseeable future?
Things to think about for sure... Something else to think about- How about some CE?
Here are some upcoming classes/webinars you may find interesting...
It Could Be Criminal NOT To Understand Commercial Crime
Everything's Soaked and My Stuff Stinks: Water Damage Webinar
The Small or Hobby Farm: Identifying & Insuring the Risk