New website, check – what next for the Insurance Institute?
New website, check – what next for the Insurance Institute? | Insurance Business Canada
Technology
New website, check – what next for the Insurance Institute?
Insurance Institute of Canada CEO Peter Hohman shares plans for 2024
Technology
By
David Saric
The Insurance Institute of Canada (IIC) kick-started the new year by launching its new website, but this is not the only fresh development it has in store for 2024.
In an interview with Insurance Business, IIC president and CEO Peter Hohman (pictured) shared what is on the horizon for the Insurance Institute in 2024 and what was behind the new-look website, which debuted ahead of launch projections.
From modernization work to talent initiatives, the year ahead is set to be a busy one.
Modernizing the Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation
In 2024, the IIC is looking forward to finding new and exciting ways to modernize its core program, the Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation, the president and CEO shared.
“It will start in the first quarter of this year with what we call our enabling skills,” Hohman said.
“These are short, focused learning opportunities that traditionally might be described as more soft skills based, but it brings that helps round out the learning from the insurance professionals’ perspective.”
Insurance Institute look to “three-pronged” talent challenge initiative
Within a couple of months, the institute will also introduce a new project that will help tackle the industry’s talent challenge.
“We’ve been working with a group of senior industry leaders, about 40 senior industry leaders, CEOs and senior HR professionals on this,” Hohman said.
“This will include a three-pronged initiative includes promotional activity to the general public about considering a career in insurance, which is in partnership with these leaders.”
Career Connections – Insurance Institute targets changers and grads
Elsewhere, the IIC will be expanding its Career Connections activity that will bring together career changers and post-secondary graduates with industry employers, as well as the development of new accelerated virtual learning modules for people that we will be attracting into the industry through these new initiatives.
“We are really excited about that,” Hohman said.
Smartphone optimization
Member input informed the redesign
Geolocation services to help users find courses that are right for them.
New Insurance Institute website should be more smartphone friendly
The new website is better optimized for mobile, with both students and members increasingly using their smartphones to access courses and services over a standard computer.
“Many have shifted to virtual and web-based learning. And even our exams, our preference for our students now has largely been into the virtual exam environment,” Hohman said. “We saw the opportunity to introduce a mobile optimized site with an improved overall experience for our members and our stakeholders.”
The Insurance Institute website was designed with feedback from members
Along the way, the institute held various touchpoints with members and stakeholders to pilot and test the website’s progression to make sure it was hitting all their expectations.
“Our launch timeline was actually for April 1 of this year and I’m happy to say we beat those projections.”
Insurance Institute website will recognize where users are to help them find the right courses
The geolocation function remains intact, so users can access courses from wherever they are in the country and its corresponding time zone.
“For instance, if you’re sitting in Calgary and you want to take courses that are more localized, it will recognize you being located in that site,” Hohman said.
“At the same time, if you happen to see a course that might be offered elsewhere in Canada and time zone might be better suited for you over the next little while, you can also tap into that sort of all Canada opportunities.”
Insurance Institute website upgrade had been in the works for some time
The redesign was a years’ long process.
It was not brought about from external pressure to modernize, rather, it the Insurance Institute team felt it was time to look at how the website could better deliver, Hohman shared.
“Not having any concern from members, students or anyone in the industry really afforded us the proper time to get it done right, which was really important,” Hohman said.
“What that did was allow us to connect with our community and the industry to find out what was important to them, when we would redevelop the site and how we could improve the existing website that we had.”
What do you think of the new Insurance Institute of Canada website? Leave a comment below
Related Stories
Keep up with the latest news and events
Join our mailing list, it’s free!
