May 3, 2021 – Austin, TX – The National Alliance today announces the expansion of the CISR High School Program into seven high schools in Birmingham, Alabama. The program was approved for accreditation with the Alabama Department of Education as a new Career and Technical Education Insurance Program of Study which helps students earn an insurance designation and an industry-based certification upon graduation. 

Jack Elliot, CRC Group Chief Administrative Officer and CISR Board Chairman, shared this about the expansion:

“Thirty years ago, when I was 15, I walked into an insurance agency in Birmingham because of a high school program. It feels extremely rewarding to bring the same kind of insurance courses that inspired my insurance career back to the state. The CISR High School program gives students excellent opportunities for future success. School systems, teachers, family, and communities win when students are offered career education. The insurance industry also wins, as we work to fill positions over the next few years.”

The high school program is being bolstered by local insurance agencies offering internships and entry-level career opportunities. Twenty-five letters of support were sent to the Department of Education to help facilitate this insurance pathway for Alabama high schools. 

Bill Jacka, Jr., Executive Vice President at Alabama Independent Insurance Agents, Inc., and CISR High School program advocate, shared this:

“We’re excited to see years of hard effort pay off on this life-changing opportunity for Birmingham’s high-school youth. The CISR High School program will educate them, give them the chance to work in our field, and help them become adept insurance consumers. It’s vital that insurance agents and the community have an active role in shaping today’s youth. We look forward to working with the school systems, faculty, and students to bring them excellent career options with immense potential.”

The CISR High School program will be offered in August 2021 to all secondary education and high school campuses within Birmingham’s public school system. 

For more information about the CISR High School Program and how you can bring it to your school, district, or community, visit www.riskeducation.org/cisr-for-high-school.

The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research is the nation’s premier provider of educational opportunities for insurance and risk management professionals. Learn about us at www.riskeducation.org.