Graduates of Conestoga’s Insurance - Property & Casualty diploma program topped the field at the 2015 convocation ceremony held by the Insurance Institute of Ontario on February 26 to recognize the newest graduates of the Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) and Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) programs.
Twelve of the graduates - 21 per cent of this year’s class - began their insurance careers by completing Conestoga’s two year co-op diploma that provides students with the opportunity to obtain up to nine of the ten credits required for the CIP designation, the industry’s standard of excellence and professionalism.
Alumni of Conestoga’s program were presented with two of the top awards presented at the ceremony. Miguel De Oliviera, a 2013 Conestoga grad, received the Rose Bowl Award, given for the highest CIP marks of all graduates from the program. Neeru Jain, who also completed Conestoga’s program in 2013, was presented with the Peter Vanderkoff Award, given to the highest CIP graduate that is an insurance broker.
According to Glenn Planert, the success of Conestoga’s graduates is the result of a close partnership between the college and the Insurance Institute to ensure that students develop the skills and knowledge that will allow them to become leaders in today’s burgeoning industry.
“It’s a joint effort,” Planert said in a recent interview. “We are very fortunate to have the full support of the Institute and its Conestoga chapter, as well as local insurance businesses, in order to provide students with the opportunity to gain the knowledge and experience that will lead to career success.”
Conestoga’s program is specifically designed to prepare students for successful careers as insurance professionals. Ten insurance-specific courses in the program, all taught by faculty with real-world industry experience, provide graduates with in-depth understanding of the principles and application of property and casualty insurance. Classroom studies are supplemented with hands-on experience, as students apply their knowledge through job shadowing, networking opportunities, and a paid co-op work term.
This targeted approach provides tremendous opportunities for graduates, and many receive job offers even before they complete their studies. The program has a 100 per cent employment rate. Heather Graham, manager of the Insurance Institute of Ontario’s Conestoga chapter, believes that this is an ideal time for those seeking new careers to get into the insurance industry.
“The industry provides a huge range of jobs and career possibilities, whether you like to work with people, data or things,” Graham said. “As many current industry professionals face retirement in the next five to 10 years, there will be lots of opportunity for advancement for individuals hoping to carve out successful careers.”
The Insurance - Property & Casualty program is appropriate for those seeking new careers as well as for students coming directly from secondary school. Financial assistance is available to qualified applicants.
Spaces are still available for the September 2015 intake. For program details and application information, visit the Conestoga website.
For more information about potential careers in Canada’s insurance industry, visit Career Connections.