Hartford Business Journal

16 Hartford Business Journal • February 12, 2018 • www.HartfordBusiness.com By John Stearns jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com J ohn Kinney likes what he sees in the students work- ing their way through The Hartford's new claims insur- ance apprenticeship program operated in concert with Capital Com- munity College (CCC) in Hartford and a community college in Arizona. "These kids, they've gone farther than some of their peers to get to where they've gotten to," said Kinney, chief claims officer at The Hartford. "They've persevered through stuff that others have not, and I love that profile because you throw them into a training environ- ment and they work hard, they're smart as hell and frankly, they're great at problem-solving." Good characteristics for claims profes- sionals helping people experiencing loss. They also will help The Hartford sustain its pool of professionals in an industry facing a talent drain as aging workers retire. A 2013 report in Proper- tyCasualty360 said the industry would need to fill 400,000 positions by 2020. That's the year by which The Hart- ford hopes to have hired 200 appren- tices from its program, which launched in June with federal registration. Stef Zielezienski, general counsel of the American Insurance Association, said The Hartford's effort to answer industry labor needs is a smart one. "Chris Swift is one of just a handful of CEOs leading the industry's efforts to address our employment gaps," Zielezienski said of The Hartford's chairman and CEO. The 15 students in the inaugural pro- gram — nine at CCC, six at Rio Salado College in Tempe, Ariz. — combine insurance and other business-specific classes with paid, on-the-job, customer- facing training at claims centers in Windsor and Scottsdale, Ariz. Most were about a year into their college studies when they began the apprenticeship, meaning they'll complete their associate degrees by spring and their required on- the-job hours by September. As long as apprentices continue the course they've set so far, they'll be of- fered full-time jobs this summer after they graduate, Kinney said. Positions will pay $45,000 a year to start in Windsor, plus full benefits, ex- tending benefits also provided during the apprenticeship. While the benefits and pay are attractive, so too is the flexibility of- fered to students managing work and school, said apprentice Max Mejia, 29. "That really got my attention because not that many jobs do that nowadays," Mejia, a CCC student on track to get his associate degree in accounting in the spring and apprentice credential in September, said of the work flexibility around things like school exams. He intends to seek full-time employ- ment at The Hartford, citing the positive environment and company's reputation. Talent Pipeline The Hartford aims to stem worker shortage with call-center apprenticeship program John Kinney, Chief Claims Officer, The Hartford Wilfredo Nieves, President, Capital Community College Adia Copper (middle) said the apprenticeship program is preparing her to step into a full-time job and career at The Hartford. Adia Copper, who is studying business management at Capital Community College, is one of the apprentices in The Hartford's new insurance apprenticeship program who is getting on-the-job training at the insurer's claims center in Windsor. HBJ PHOTOS | STEVE LASCHEVER

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