Get involved with your local colleges.
Show them how they can boost their bottom line by adding an Insurance Studies Program to their curriculum; providing real world skills that translate into real world careers. Due to engineering and manufacturing jobs transferring overseas, colleges today are struggling to place many of their graduates. A career in the Independent Insurance Agency System is one of the most stable and interesting choices a person can make. There's a good chance you will have the opportunity to hire these individuals to help you maintain and grow your agencies!
As Local Association members, you are an integral part of your communities. You are typically involved in chamber associations, school boards, and charitable organizations. These contributions help to make you welll-respected in your communities.
- The insurance industry is one of the few industries experiencing growth in Michigan's economy.
- A common concern is the ability of your agency management to find educated and prepared personnel to maintain and perpetuate your agencies in the areas of service, sales, and possibly, ownership.
It's Being Done, Right Now!
Michigan Future Foundation has previously worked with Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Kellogg Community College, as well as Macomb and Mott Community Colleges to initiate programs. The curriculum is based on the insurance studies program now used by Olivet College.
Michigan Future Foundation is Here to Help!
MI Future is ready to assist with marketing tools such as: customized post cards for area high school seniors, local news stories, and announcements to area agencies in need of the education this program can provide. Scholarships will also be available through MI Future to promote the program.
Colleges themselves are helpful in marketing their programs. For example, Macomb County Community College announced their program in their curriculum mailers, staging an "Introductory to Insurance" one night class explaining to prospective students the benefits of a career in the insurance industry (agents should direct this class)! In addition, the local Macomb Agents association produced a presentation for area high school counselors to help promote the program. MI Future can supply you with a number of marketing ideas to publicize the program.
The focus of MI Future is to encourage these programs, ultimately assisting the members of the Michigan Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA), a value-added benefit. We also want to help in linking prospective graduates of these programs to your agencies.
Contact Wayne Joubert at
wjoubert@michagent.org
for questions.