Florida insurance professionals are in high demand as the industry navigates more uncertainty than ever. But despite this need and the potential for lucrative careers, a shrinking talent pipeline has created a hiring crisis.

ALM and Miami Dade College have joined forces to address this problem, offering a free three-week course that provides direct access to top industry professionals in preparation for an insurance career.

Beginning Nov. 2, those who sign up will learn about the insurance industry from executives at leading companies such as The Hartford, EverestRe, PURE Insurance and Evonik. Those executives will provide hands-on support via role-playing exercises and resume development, and introduce students to various networking, mentorship and internship opportunities.

The goal is to encourage and prepare diverse groups of people to pursue careers in the insurance industry, according to Dr. Malou C. Harrison, executive vice president and provost at Miami Dade College.

"It's nothing like what we've done before," Harrison said. "We think it's an area that has a real gap in knowledge and a real need and demand in terms of business and industry and potential jobs."

Three spots remain for this semester, according to Harrison.

Click here to sign up

The course is free and open to anyone who's curious, including working professionals. Harrison said that it's not dissimilar to other initiatives Miami Dade College has launched in the past to encourage more students to pursue careers in technology and health care.

"This is an introduction that we want to be able to give to anyone without any barriers whatsoever. We want to make sure that we're the conduit to providing an awareness to our community of careers that are out there that they may not be thinking about but that are in demand," Harrison said. "Miami Dade College welcomes one and all."

The course will focus predominantly on property and casualty insurance, and Harrison noted that property insurance is an especially timely pursuit, given current events.

"Here in Florida, when you look at what just took place with Hurricane Ian, the devastation in the Southwest area of Florida and all of the narratives around flood insurance, property insurance and homeowners' insurance, and where the industry is going and the challenges that not only the industry but property owners will have, this is an area that definitely is on the map, is definitely in our current affairs, and I think it behooves all of us to get to know this industry, whether it's for self-interest or for a career," she said.

ALM's Tasha Norman took the lead in developing this initiative as senior director of corporate responsibility and market development.

"My work through the Young Professionals Network has brought to light the recruitment challenges of the insurance industry," Norman said in a press release. "We felt it was important to reach out directly to the community to provide education where it's most needed and nurture individuals who have the ability to push the insurance industry ahead."

Likewise, the insurance industry's talent gap and hiring crisis is something that ALM CEO Bill Carter said he's been monitoring for years.

"We wanted to take real steps toward addressing that problem while simultaneously exposing new people to careers in insurance," Carter said in the release. "As thought leaders with deep and trusted expertise across a variety of industries, ALM is uniquely positioned to help tackle this problem while making a positive impact in the community."

For more information about the course and to enroll, visit cepdhome.webflow.io/insurance-literacy-program.

To stay on top of ALM's coverage of the insurance industry, visit the Daily Business Review's sister publication Property Casualty 360.