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Newly licensed insurance agent, Sabrina Gonzalez, is among the first to complete LCCC’s new Fast Track Insurance program and she’s encouraging others to consider the growing industry
Sabrina Gonzalez doesn’t think many children dream of being an insurance agent when they grow up. She didn’t. But Gonzalez is proud to be a licensed property/casualty insurance agent today. And she hopes more adults consider the field, given its projected job growth and a new Lorain County Community College Fast-Track program that trains future agents.
“People don’t always think of it,” she says. “But there’s a big need for insurance agents.”
Gonzalez is right. In Ohio alone, insurance industries have a 10-year growth and replacement need of nearly 108,000 new workers. That’s 97% of the total current employment.
“The insurance industry in Ohio presents a wealth of job opportunities that are often overlooked by many individuals,” says D.J. Santiago, National Head of MAI Benefits at MAI Capital in Northeast Ohio. “With Ohio being a hub for insurance companies, there’s a significant demand for various roles within the sector.”
To address current and future worker demand, LCCC launched its Fast-Track Insurance Program with support from Progressive and Erie Insurance. The free 12-week program prepares students to sit for the insurance agent exam, work in the industry as a licensed sales consultant, and effectively educate the public as customers.
Gonzalez, 45, was one of the first students in the new Fast-Track program. It was a hybrid online and in-person model that suited her life well. And while the 12 weeks went fast, the program’s structured approach helped her retain the variety of information she needed to know to take the exam.
“The courses give you the information in a bite-sized way,” she says. “It’s a lot easier to digest.”
After earning her certificate of completion and passing the exam in August 2023, Gonzalez was hired by Progressive in September. That accelerated and immediate education-to-employment pathway is what the Fast-Track program is designed to do.
“By providing focused and accelerated training, Fast Track programs not only meet the immediate demands of the industry but also ensure that students are well-prepared to navigate the complexities of the insurance sector upon completion,” Santiago says.
And because of its support from both Progressive and Erie Insurance, LCCC’s Fast Track program offers students a seamless entryway into the industry.
“Many of Progressive’s employees have established successful careers after starting in a work-from-home licensed sales consultant role with our company—the kind of role that LCCC’s program prepares its students for,” Tina Rozmeski, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition for Progressive, said when the program was announced.
Gonzalez does work from home, which she enjoys. But she still felt welcomed and engaged from day one.
“The support you have at Progressive is like a system,” she says, “Everything’s a teaching moment. It’s been phenomenal.”
She’s just six months in, but Gonzalez, from Lorain, is already mapping out her future with the organization.
“During the first few days of training classes at Progressive, they are already telling you they like to hire from within,” she says.
As Gonzalez plans her career pathway within the insurance industry, she’s also championing LCCC Fast-Track programs.
“I’m so glad I did it,” she says. “I’ve sent so many people to the Fast Track website. In less than 16 weeks you can be certified in all these different industries.”
See all LCCC Fast-Track programs, which focus on well-paying industries with projected job growth in the coming years, at www.lorainccc.edu/fasttrack.
