New Berlin-based insurance brokerage and business advisory firm HNI will launch a sales training program this June to train both new recruits and existing sales staff.
The sales and advisory training program is targeted to talented recent college graduates who may not be familiar with the insurance industry, said Mike Natalizio, chief executive officer of HNI.
“When the economic hardship came on and the economic difficulties, a lot of companies, including us, started to tighten their belt and started to move away from training,” Natalizio said. “I’ve seen that as well with other companies, (they) have kind of lost the focus on training. We really believe it’s critical to reinvest in training and development of our people, both internally, as well as new people coming into our organization.”
The training program will include classroom work, homework, workshops, field work and testing. Sales employees at all four of HNI’s locations will participate, either through video conferencing or in person in New Berlin.
Once the four to six month program is completed, employees will earn a Certified Risk Advisor designation within HNI, and will have the technical skills needed to bring on new clients and advise them on business risk, Natalizio said.
HNI will add four to six new employees to its 120-person staff with each round of training, he said.
“We’d like to facilitate some of the growth that we’ve had as well as continue our growth pattern,” Natalizio said. “So we are looking at definitely upping our recruiting.”
Eventually, HNI plans to add a mastery level program in sales and advisory.
