View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2002/10/18/23795.htm
InVEST, a business-education partnership training high school and community college students in insurance agency and company operations and encouraging them to pursue careers in the industry, hosted 26 high school students at the InVEST Job Shadow Breakfast held during the recent Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s 2002 InfoXchange in New Orleans. The program also raised $30,000 during the InVEST Silent Auction held during the event.
Twenty-five students from John Ehret High School in Marrero, LA and one student from East Hartford High School in East Hartford, CT who was sponsored by Travelers to attend the event, started the day with 60 mentors, the national InVEST Teacher Task Force and the InVEST Board of Directors at the Job Shadow Breakfast. During the breakfast, students educated mentors on the benefits they’ve received from the InVEST program and shared their aspirations and future educational goals. Mentors talked about how they got involved in the insurance industry and shared advice on how students can achieve their career goals within the insurance industry. After breakfast, the students participated in the InfoXchange opening general session and were led on a guided tour of the event’s exhibit hall including the InVEST Silent Auction.
The auction is part of an ongoing effort to raise the funds necessary to enhance and expand InVEST programs in high schools and community colleges across the country. Over 100 items were donated by IIABA’s state associations, national office and Executive Committee, and several insurance companies, InVEST sponsors and individual independent agents. The funds collected will be used to support existing classes, train new teachers and accelerate the opening of new programs across the country.
“We are thrilled with the results of the Job Shadow event and the success of the auction,” InVEST Chairman Jim Armitage said. “We are committed to perpetuating the industry, and the Job Shadow event and Silent Auction provide us with the exposure we need to make more people aware of this outstanding program and garner their involvement.”