Zurich to host National Apprenticeship Week Summit
November 20, 2019
Chicago-area high school students will learn about opportunities to fast-track a professional career at Zurich National Apprenticeship Week Summit on Nov. 14
Zurich North America will welcome Chicago-area high school students to the Zurich National Apprenticeship Week Summit on Nov. 14, in connection with the U.S. Department of Labor’s 5th annual National Apprenticeship Week.
Chicago- area students, in addition to Labor Department officials, Zurich executives and Zurich apprentices, will convene at Zurich North America’s landmark, LEED Platinum-certified headquarters in Schaumburg for a half-day of activities and networking. The purpose is to introduce high school students and counselors to opportunities to launch a rewarding career in commercial insurance while earning a college degree, tuition-free.
Zurich’s innovative Apprenticeship Program, the first insurance apprenticeship program to be certified by the Department of Labor, gives recent high school graduates, as well as veterans and other non-traditional students, a chance to gain the education and the experience to qualify for professional roles in areas that include underwriting, claims, finance, legal, human resources and cyber security.
Apprentices earn a salary and benefits, including tuition coverage, for working at Zurich while taking classes for their associate’s degree. Full-time career opportunities at Zurich await them when they graduate from the two-year program.
“Apprenticeships are an innovative, win-win way to address labor shortages and barriers to professional advancement,” said Al Crook, Zurich’s Head of Human Resources Business Partners and Executive Sponsor of Zurich’s Apprenticeship Program. “Zurich’s Apprenticeship Program proves that exciting careers are not only predicated on a four-year college degree.”
Summit attendees will hear the experiences of Zurich’s apprentices, who attend classes two days a week at Harper College and work three days a week at Zurich’s Schaumburg headquarters. They will also hear from graduates of the program.
Summit attendees will learn about the benefits of apprenticeships, get tips on interview preparation, explore a day in the life of a Zurich apprentice and gain insights into how to navigate their first corporate role. They also can meet representatives of Zurich’s employee-led resource groups (ERGs), including ZAAA: Zurich African Ancestry Alliance, Luz: Latinos Unidos at Zurich, VetZ: Veterans Engagement Team and more, as well as tour Zurich's headquarters. Enrollment is limited.
Zurich, whose first class of apprentices graduated in 2017, participates in the Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship initiative, which includes more than 150,000 employers working to develop a new generation of workers to help the U.S. succeed in the 21st century economy. Zurich is a founding member of the Chicago Apprenticeship Network and is on track to meet its goal of hiring 100 apprentices by the end of 2020.
Watch a video about the Zurich Apprenticeship program.
Learn more about National Apprenticeship Week.
About Zurich
Wendy.Donahue@zurichna.com, 773.991.9835 or 847.413.5439
Chicago- area students, in addition to Labor Department officials, Zurich executives and Zurich apprentices, will convene at Zurich North America’s landmark, LEED Platinum-certified headquarters in Schaumburg for a half-day of activities and networking. The purpose is to introduce high school students and counselors to opportunities to launch a rewarding career in commercial insurance while earning a college degree, tuition-free.
Zurich’s innovative Apprenticeship Program, the first insurance apprenticeship program to be certified by the Department of Labor, gives recent high school graduates, as well as veterans and other non-traditional students, a chance to gain the education and the experience to qualify for professional roles in areas that include underwriting, claims, finance, legal, human resources and cyber security.
Apprentices earn a salary and benefits, including tuition coverage, for working at Zurich while taking classes for their associate’s degree. Full-time career opportunities at Zurich await them when they graduate from the two-year program.
“Apprenticeships are an innovative, win-win way to address labor shortages and barriers to professional advancement,” said Al Crook, Zurich’s Head of Human Resources Business Partners and Executive Sponsor of Zurich’s Apprenticeship Program. “Zurich’s Apprenticeship Program proves that exciting careers are not only predicated on a four-year college degree.”
Summit attendees will hear the experiences of Zurich’s apprentices, who attend classes two days a week at Harper College and work three days a week at Zurich’s Schaumburg headquarters. They will also hear from graduates of the program.
Summit attendees will learn about the benefits of apprenticeships, get tips on interview preparation, explore a day in the life of a Zurich apprentice and gain insights into how to navigate their first corporate role. They also can meet representatives of Zurich’s employee-led resource groups (ERGs), including ZAAA: Zurich African Ancestry Alliance, Luz: Latinos Unidos at Zurich, VetZ: Veterans Engagement Team and more, as well as tour Zurich's headquarters. Enrollment is limited.
Zurich, whose first class of apprentices graduated in 2017, participates in the Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship initiative, which includes more than 150,000 employers working to develop a new generation of workers to help the U.S. succeed in the 21st century economy. Zurich is a founding member of the Chicago Apprenticeship Network and is on track to meet its goal of hiring 100 apprentices by the end of 2020.
Watch a video about the Zurich Apprenticeship program.
Learn more about National Apprenticeship Week.
About Zurich
For more information
Wendy.Donahue@zurichna.com, 773.991.9835 or 847.413.5439