FAIA just completed its Summer Leadership Conference last week, August 5-7, 2026, in Orlando. The conference included a joint meeting with Invest, Workforce Development, and Good Works Fund committees. This meeting provided a robust discussion about the staffing needs of our industry and how FAIA and these committees could help drive the bus.
Let me provide a little history. Following the 2025 Summer Leadership Conference, a proposal was put forward and adopted by the FAIA Board of Directors to work with the legislature to introduce a bill to include an insurance course at the high school level. During the 2026 legislative session, HB,1343 was championed by FAIA member and State Representative Brian Hodgers. That bill went through several committees, passing unanimously, then was presented on the House floor, passing and signed into law by the Governor.
HB 1343 required the Department of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Financial Services, to develop a new 1/2-credit elective course in insurance and personal finance. This bill creates a direct pathway from high school graduation to a career in insurance. Upon graduation and turning 18, the student can apply for a 4-40 customer representative license without any additional coursework.
As the committees discussed this great piece of legislation, it was agreed that we would begin our work with the strongest InVest programs: Broward, Orange, and Pinellas counties in Florida.
FAIA and the committees will work with those local boards to support this new course and educate high school students, teachers, administrators, and school boards about it. Even though our efforts are focused on these three counties, we have compiled a list of other counties and schools that would be interested in this new course. If you have a relationship with a high school and would like more information, please post it here, and we will get you what you need.
For those agents and industry professionals in the three counties, please contact your local board to get involved. This task may seem a little daunting, but pulling together as an industry will make a huge difference. FAIA is working on communication pieces to share with the industry to explain the new course and answer the question: "What's in it for me?"
FAIA is working to set up a community across the three counties, so everyone can share ideas, information, and contacts to help get the word out about this new course and support its adoption at your local high school.
In addition to the above, the FAIA Board of Directors approved financial support for this initiative. Those dollars will be used to train teachers and provide financial incentives for teachers and students to teach and take the course. Host regional events to showcase the industry to high school students and highlight the opportunities awaiting them for a career in insurance. Also, provide materials for teachers, students, and school administrators to support these programs in their high schools.
The three pillars of this workforce initiative are Educate, Recruit & Support. Let's continue the momentum from the summer leadership conference and help move the needle for the next generation of insurance professionals!