A new collaborative effort is raising awareness about career opportunities available in the insurance industry. Delgado Community College and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana (IIABL) have teamed up to launch the Louisiana Insurance Academy – a 10-week program focused on kick starting a career in insurance. The inspiration for this new program arose from conversations between local insurance firm Gillis, Ellis and Baker, Inc. and Delgado regarding the growing demand and opportunities for jobs in the insurance industry.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will attain two industry-based certifications – Accredited Customer Service Representative – Personal Lines (ACSR-P) and Accredited Customer Service Representative – Commercial Lines (ACSR-C). Job placement assistance with insurance agencies statewide will also be available for successful completers.
“The Louisiana Insurance Academy is an invaluable opportunity for students or young professionals looking to establish a successful career in insurance,” said Dr. Larissa Littleton-Steib, Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development and Technical Education at Delgado Community College. “We’ve received an overwhelming amount of support from the professional community for this innovative program.”
Classes start Tuesday, September 30 and will be held three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at Delgado’s City Park Campus. All classes will be taught by actively practicing insurance professionals. Topics covered during the 10-week program include insurance essentials, such as customer service, homeowners insurance commercial property insurance and commercial liability insurance.
“As an industry, we’ve realized that many people are unaware that insurance is a fast paced, high-energy field in which service staff is given a high level of responsibility. Combined with a competitive salary and potential for rapid career growth, this is a very attractive career path, especially for young professionals,” said Parke Ellis, outgoing IIABL president and chairman at Gillis, Ellis and Baker, Inc. “The inspiration behind the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana partnering with Delgado for this program was to inform candidates about the opportunities that exist with a career in insurance, while providing them with a solid background in insurance fundamentals.”
Ellis added, “In the past few years, my agency has made a conscious effort to recruit bright, young and talented people into our agency. However, we’ve realized that many potential candidates are not aware of the benefits or opportunities that go hand-in-hand with this career path. Participating in the Louisiana Insurance Academy program is a way of investing in the future of our industry and our community.”
Individuals interested in applying for the first cohort of the Louisiana Insurance Academy are required to attend an information session as part of the application process. Information sessions will be held from 6 – 7 PM on Tuesday, August 26 and Wednesday, September 10 in Building 8, Room 101 at Delgado’s City Park Campus located at 615 City Park Avenue. Seating is limited, and interested applicants are encouraged to RSVP to noncredit@dcc.edu.
Applications are available online at www.dcc.edu/LIA and will be accepted through Thursday, September 11. Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana and national insurance companies will be subsidizing the cost of the first cohort of the Louisiana Insurance Academy, reducing out of pocket tuition for students to $350.
Due to the condensed nature of the program, participants will have to commit to a strict attendance policy. Candidates will be notified by Tuesday, September 23 if accepted into the first cohort.
For more information on the Louisiana Insurance or to download an application, visit www.dcc.edu/LIA. For more information on the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Louisiana, visit http://www.iiabl.com/default.aspx.
