The shortage of manpower is a hot topic in Quebec and all industries are affected. The insurance industry cannot escape this. However, it can count on the Coalition pour la promotion des professions en assurance de dommages (Coalition), a non profit organisation with the mandate of promoting careers in the insurance industry in order to attract new employees. During its annual recruitment drive launched March 1st, the Coalition invited all companies in the industry to provide financial support.

Up till now, more than 140 businesses have shown that they care to invest in the industry’s succession by becoming a member of the Coalition.

«The Damage insurance industry is lucky enough to be a step ahead with the Coalition, which is making other sectors of the economy envious», mentions Johanne Lamanque, president of the Board of Directors of the Coalition.

The Coalition unfolds a collective action plan

Amongst its initiatives, the Coalition is actually deploying a collective action plan following a cocreation workshop that was comprised of key players from the industry and teaching institutions. The collective action plan is based on the recommendations from the study on the competencies of the future in damage insurance ordered in 2018 by the Coalition, in partnership with Finance Montréal.

« The Coalition innovates again and again in order to be collectively active to respond to the constantly evolving needs of the industry », indicates Robert LaGarde, president and CEO of the Coalition.

Four key mandates form an integral part of this collective action plan. The Coalition has initiated steering committees, composed of people from the industry and teaching institutions, who presently work on each one of them.

• Action 1 : Develop a new promotional campaign for careers – by the Coalition, in partnerships with the industry and teaching institutions
• Action 2 : Put in place a mentoring program - by LARAQ
• Action 3 : Share with cegeps the content of current educational training – by the IADQ and ChAD
• Action 4 : Optimise the damage insurance AEC  – by cegeps and the industry

« Any person who wishes to take part is welcome and invited to communicate with us », says Roxanne Hébert, Manager of communications and operations for the Coalition.

This collective action plans is accompanied by the other initiatives of the Coalition, such as meeting with high school students who are in the process of choosing a career, informing people who are reorienting their career, employment opportunities during job fairs or demystifying damage insurance careers for guidance counselor in order for them to direct their clientele towards this professional avenue. For a more detailed list of current actions by the Coalition, consult this infographic.

The Coalition would like to emphasize that it is because of the mobilisation and the engagement of the industry towards its mission that they can put in place these actions; actions that benefit none other than the industry itself.