Secondary students in South Australia will soon be able to complete their Certificate 3 in insurance broking, thanks to an initiative between the National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) and the SA Department of Education.

While the finishing touches are still being discussed with the SA Government, the program will allow Year 11 and 12 students to complete their Senior Certificate (SACE) while spending paid time at a brokerage learning the practical side of the business.

NIBA Professional Development Executive Linda Evans says the program is aimed at making broking a career of choice, rather than an occupation people “just fall into“.

“We want young professional who are passionate, well educated and motivated to make a go of insurance broking,“ she said.

The program will be funded by the SA Government and provide all training material and partial reimbursement for brokers taking on trainees.

“NIBA is the first association in the industry to come up with a school-based traineeship program,“ Ms Evans said. “I think it’s about time brokers started to think about growing new talent in the industry.“

The SA deal follows the establishment of a new broker cadetship scheme in Western Australia.