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AG College, bridging the skill gap in the insurance industry

7 March 2023
Key Messages
  • AG Insurance's AG College program creates its own talent pool to address the war for talent.
  • The program combines a new approach to sourcing and nurturing talent with a strong positive social impact.
  • TriHD supported the AG College recruitment process.

The war for talent remains as fierce as ever, with different industries facing an acute skill gap. One company that has taken a proactive approach to address this issue is AG Insurance, a leading insurance provider in Belgium. To tackle the shortage of skilled Insurance Claims handlers and Production Officers in the Belgian labor market and to attract new talent, AG Insurance has launched a unique and innovative development program: AG College. Our TriHD consultant Soumaya Othmani, supported the AG recruitment team during the launch of the project and was very happy to take part in this pioneering initiative.

Creating your own talent pool

This six-month paid training program is specifically designed for individuals without a higher degree, offering opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to discover new career possibilities. AG Insurance is the first company in the insurance industry to take such a bold step by creating its own talent pool rather than relying on external sources such as universities and the overall labor market to provide them with a pipeline of skilled talent.

“AG College is a great example of how companies can take matters into their own hands to address the skill gap in today's labor market. This aligns with the vision of employability we have at TriHD. Putting people at the steering wheel of their own careers and supporting them to shape out-of-the-box career paths in line with their unique drivers and ambitions is the core of our philosophy.” Jana Wittemans, Business Manager Human Development at TriHD.

AG College is a great example of how companies can take matters into their own hands to address the skill gap in today's labor market. This aligns with the vision of employability we have at TriHD.

Jana Wittemans, Business Manager at TriHD

Continuous learning

AG College aligns with the culture of continuous learning and development that AG Insurance cultivates within its organization. The program is a business solution that addresses the skill gap in the labor market, offering a new approach to sourcing and nurturing talent. Additionally, there is a strong positive social impact in this project.

“The reactions we received were immensely positive and heartwarming. We all have this one person in our network who ambitions a career change at a certain point, but not everyone has the support and means to make that happen. The applicants for our AG College all have a different background story, from police officer to retail clerk or beauty aesthetician. One by one, they were so appreciative of the opportunity, and we are proud to welcome them in our teams.” Ruth Fouarge, HR Project Manager AG Insurance.

The applicants for our AG College all have a different background story. One by one, they were so appreciative of the opportunity, and we are proud to welcome them to our teams.

Ruth Fouarge, HR Project Manager AG Insurance.

Social impact

As discussed with Hilde Vernaillen during a TriFinance Insurance Forum last year, we believe that the insurance industry as a whole could be considered as ESG avant la lettre. So it comes as no surprise to TriHD to see this initiative - combining a business objective with a social impact - pop up here.

Overall, twenty candidates were selected for the program after a rigorous recruitment process. Soumaya Othmani, TriHD project consultant, who supported the AG Insurance recruitment team in this effort, described the project as exciting, ambitious and impactful.

“It was exciting to participate in this project. We were working against a tight deadline, and it was an ambitious target to launch the Academy on January 16th. This was a real challenge in itself. But what really made this project worthwhile for me were the people who applied. Even if, in recent years, we have learned to look beyond the typical track record and background, considering such a wide variety of profiles, skills and backgrounds for one role is not a given. Many companies claim to “hire for attitude, train for skills”, but not many companies are putting this into practice to this extent. For me, the social impact in this project was the key driver to give it my all during the recruitment process.” Soumaya Othmani, Human Development Project Consultant TriHD

Many companies claim to “hire for attitude, train for skills”, but not many companies are putting this into practice to this extent.

Soumaya Othmani, Project Consultant TriHD

What’s next?

Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how AG Insurance's AG College program impacts the company's overall talent strategy and whether other organizations in the insurance industry or other industries will follow suit.

More information: press release AG College NL - FR

About TriHD

HR departments are increasingly involved in strategic transformation projects. At the same time, their service to employees must run flawlessly, and they are faced with an unprecedented war for talent. TriHD, with its talent pool of skilled HD consultants, is ready to inject expertise in the areas of HD operations, payroll, talent development, and talent acquisition. In addition, TriHD co-creates with clients to optimize and automate HR processes for a better employee experience, and to establish the necessary metrics and analytics to make informed decisions. To achieve this, TriHD works closely with TriFinance and TriTechnology.

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