In the post FSA regulatory world, education and professionalism are the new buzzwords And the CII is at the forefront of the march towards a brave new world of qualified insurance professionals.

The CII has successfully managed to move away from being an exam provider to a broader provider of insurance training for insurer and broker employees at all levels.

The number of candidates sitting general insurance exams has grown by an impressive 50%. This increase is partly fuelled by the demands of regulation as well as the CII's restructure of its qualifications in 2003 with far more emphasis on training.

But some brokers still question the validity of such exams. They shouldn't.

A better qualified industry sends out all the best messages to the market, creates a better informed broker and satisfies any customer apprehension.

Furthermore, wider business opportunities exist for those who build up a portfolio of technical and business skills (page 37).

But as ever, the industry has an image problem which needs to be overcome.

As one CEO notes (page 10), there are not enough young people joining the industry, and not enough young people in insurance in general. The impetus is to encourage more young people to join by dispelling any ideas that insurance is boring.

Having a solid, dependable ambassador promoting the highest standards and ethics in the form of Lord Hunt of Wirral, ensures the CII, and the industry, will continue to grow effectively in the best professional manner (page 6).

As Lord Hunt notes, huge opportunities awaits the industry if it is fully acknowledged for having the highest recognised professional and ethical standards.

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