College Day and Job Fair Makes a Return at 2022 IBAO Convention

While our Annual IBAO Convention was underway in October, we focused our attention on the future of the industry by hosting a College Day and Job Fair at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto. This allowed companies across our province to talk to students interested in the industry and gave the next generation of talent an opportunity to ask questions and discover employment opportunities.

“Students that attended were enthusiastic about learning about the industry,” said Gabriela Bejarano, Administration & Project Specialist, IBAO. “They were especially overjoyed with the opportunity to connect with a number of employers that attended the Job Fair. All the employers were impressed with the layout of the Job Fair and how attentive and engaged the students were. The only negative feedback that we received was that employers wished they had more time with the students, which is something we’ll definitely consider for our future job fairs.” 

During the College Day program, students heard speakers from various insurance companies share their personal experiences and what brokers are looking for in new talent. While the students learned a great deal from the presentations, the speakers also walked away recharged from sharing their advice and experience.

“Having the opportunity to be a speaker at IBAO’s College Day has truly been one of the highlights of my 14-year career as a broker,” said Meagan Bingley, Commercial Lines Manager, Rozon Insurance Brokers. “The room was buzzing with energy and the students were eager to learn about our brokerage’s hiring practices. I reminded the students to ask their potential employers important questions and search for a job that balances their needs and aligns with their personal and professional aspirations. I openly shared that I personally struggle with mental health and have aligned myself with a brokerage that is a leader in providing mental health support to our employees. I was approached after my speech by several students who thanked me for addressing mental health—as employers, we need to speak openly and frequently on this subject. I look forward to crossing paths with many of these students as they step into this next chapter in their insurance careers.” 

After the College Day speeches, students attended our first in-person job fair where they connected with employers to hear the benefits of joining the broker channel. The students had an opportunity to discuss a variety of exciting career paths and learn more about day-to-day life in the industry.

“Students loved College Day and the Job Fair at the IBAO Conference,” said John McNeil, Program Coordinator and Professor for Humber College’s Insurance Management program who attended with his students. “They are still talking about it. Students found a ton of value in hearing from the various broker thought leaders at College Day. Students were glowing after both events!”

Recruitment and retention have long been a top priority for insurance organizations, so it was also great for employers to have the opportunity to tell their story to a room full of ambitious students and search for new talent.

“The job fair was a success,” said Ashley Geldof, Personal Lines Broker, Utter Morris Insurance Brokers. “We just formally interviewed two candidates, offered one of them a position, and they have accepted! Overall, it was a great experience!” 

We had high expectations for the College Day and Job Fair and can happily say that they were exceeded. The feedback we received made us feel that the effort we spent organizing both events was completely worth it. Thanks to all the amazing companies and students that made the College Day and Job Fair successful events. We were glad that we could illustrate to students how essential and diverse our industry is to our economy. An insurance career provides the opportunity to make a difference, advance your career, learn a variety of important skills, work in a stable industry and so much more.

Thanks to all the amazing companies and students that made the College Day and Job Fair successful events. We were glad that we could illustrate to students how essential and diverse our industry is to our economy.