The CII's Faculty of Insurance Broking plans to sex up the market's image in an aim to attract fresh industry blood.
Faculty chairman David Slade said it was preparing recruitment material to aid brokers in combating staffing problems. "We are dreadful at selling the insurance industry," he said. "We must be more aggressive."
Slade said the faculty would drive recruitment on all levels, "from grass roots to graduates". Recruitment flyers are due to be launched at the CII conference next month, with publicity material sent to colleges and universities to promote the opportunities in the sector.
The faculty is also consulting with brokers to create an educational course with an insurance focus, along with insurance exams for all levels.
Slade said he wanted to create a new industry image to rival that of the banking sector. "We want to make people enthusiastic about insurance. We have got to get some new talent and the faculty can help with that."
He said he perceived recruitment as a "huge social responsibility", particularly when promoting the industry to school leavers.
Slade added that Perkins Slade's regular invitation to school pupils to show them the claims process positively impacts on its staffing levels.
