One of NAPSLO's fastest-growing efforts has been its Next Generation initiative, geared toward recruiting young talent to the surplus lines industry. Next Generation co-chairmen Steven Gross and Scott Culler agree that now, more than ever, there is a need to inform and educate students and young professionals about the E&S Insurance Industry.

“We're a very experienced industry, and there is so much opportunity and need for us to fill the gaps as we move forward to get that next wave—that 'next generation'—involved in our business,” says Culler. “We need to add that talent, now.”

Gross adds that since Next Generation started about five years ago, “we've gone from a group of people that tried to put it together, to now having over 650 members. That shows me that there are plenty of young people in the industry now—but it's certainly not enough to replace the aging population.”

In response to the need to recruit more young surplus lines professionals, Next Generation spent the year visiting college campuses with the focus on to educating potential risk management students about the surplus lines industry, as well as conducting web events with students. The group worked closely with insurance fraternity Gamma Iota Sigma, attending symposiums, job fairs and seminars held at college campuses. The group plans to continue with these measures in the coming year.

“More and more schools are starting to create risk management majors,” says Gross. “A lot of colleges do not focus on the surplus lines industry, so we have made an effort to create awareness around it and why it's a better alternative for a graduating college student to have a career in.”

And Next Generation's efforts aren't going unnoticed by insurance educators. “The University of Colorado just started a risk management school, and they specifically reached out to us to help them think about what they should be doing to communicate and network with the industry,” Gross adds.

NAPSLO is also working to recruit new members through its Internship Program. Six graduates of NAPSLO's internship program are attending the Annual Convention, and will be interviewed to determine who will be the Joseph H. Blades Memorial Scholar and receive an additional three-week internship in London with insurer Bell & Clements next summer.

Another intern will receive the Bermuda Scholarship, which is an additional three-week internship with an insurer in Bermuda next summer. The winners of the scholarships will be announced Wednesday at 10:15 a.m. All the interns will shadow NAPSLO members and attend convention events, so keep an eye out and make sure to say hello to your next generation of colleagues.

“The Internship Program is such a good program that these kids are going back to their schools and telling their peers about it,” says Gross. He adds that many of the presenters for Next Generation's college campus visits and symposiums are past NAPSLO interns.

To help graduates and Next Generation members just getting their feet wet in the industry, NAPSLO has also launched a Job Portal on its website where NAPSLO members can post entry-level jobs, says Gross, “and students are able to post their resumes, so members that are looking to hire graduates have that opportunity.”

“It's great for [members] to see the type of talent that's coming out,” says Culler about NAPSLO's Internship Program and Job Portal, in addition to the efforts of the Next Generation group. “It's extremely impressive to see the caliber of these students that are ready to hit the job markets. It's exciting for us as an industry, and we need to take advantage of that.”