| FROM THE COMMISSIONER |
Homegrown
Growing the industry in Kansas relies
on growing an educated workforce
KEN SELZER
Kansas Insurance Commissioner
T
wo priorities I have while I am insurance
commissioner are to help insurance businesses
in our state to grow and to attract additional
insurer operations.
One important initiative tied to those priorities is to
supply the Kansas insurance industry with potential
employees. These employees would be college students
who come to the job after completing core insurance
coursework or obtaining insurance credentials from our
Kansas colleges and universities.
insurance certificate program
With KAIA’s assistance, we are developing a collaborative
program among Kansas colleges and universities to
provide a 12-to-15-credit hour “Insurance Certificate,”
which could lead to the development of an insurance
major. The certificate program would consist of an
introductory insurance course and several advanced
courses, possibly including an internship.
Our vision for the program is to have the universities and
colleges work together to provide academic flexibility
through distance learning programs. We are meeting
with university officials throughout the state to discuss the
concept and seek their collaboration.
utilizing kief
KAIA is playing a major role in this project by supporting
and administering the Kansas Insurance Education
Foundation (KIEF) and assisting in raising funds. KIEF
is a 501(c)(3) organization and will be a repository for
donations from insurance companies and individuals.
We are seeking input from agents, the industry and college
officials so that we have an industry-accepted package of
credit courses from which to base the certificate program.
university outreach
The Insurance Department is working to attract college
students to the profession and to the certificate program
by hosting career awareness programs for universities
and scheduling other outreach programs. So far we have
provided speakers and panelists for two events, one at the
University of Kansas and the other at Washburn University.
Similar events are scheduled for spring 2016 at Emporia
State University, Pittsburg State University and Fort Hays
State University. You will see additional marketing efforts
for the program throughout the coming year.
As always, we appreciate the input and support from frontline agents such as you. If you have a suggestion or would
like to be involved in the process, please contact Cindy
Hermes, the director of outreach in our department, at
(785) 296-7803.
The vision and support of Kansas agents and Kansas
insurance companies who have invested in our state will be
a major factor in a successful outcome for this initiative.
|November-December 2015| KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER
7