Meeting Workforce Needs
USF Sarasota-Manatee campus’s partnership with Sarasota-based FCCI Insurance Group reflects the university’s ability to respond to local employers’ workforce needs in the area of risk management and insurance (RMI), which the State University System’s Board of Governors has designated as a “program of strategic emphasis.”
The RMI program prepares students in risk analysis, insurance underwriting, wealth management and other critical areas within the global financial industry. FCCI, which operates in 19 states and the District of Columbia, has been a valuable supporter of USF Sarasota-Manatee campus since the campus was established and remains a strong advocate for expanding the university’s programs. One of the most valuable components of USF Sarasota-Manatee campus’s RMI degree is a robust internship program that offers students the opportunity to learn from industry leaders in the Sarasota-Manatee area.
FCCI Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Krouse said the RMI program helps to directly address her company’s employment demands. FCCI expects to hire up to 200 positions over a two-year period.
“USF Sarasota-Manatee campus has contributed greatly to our success and is playing a key role in FCCI’s talent acquisition strategies as part of our 2025 strategic plan,” Krouse said. “Deliberate action must be executed; by 2025, approximately 70 percent of the individuals working in risk management and insurance will be over age 50, and we will be facing a talent hole along with many others in the industry.”
In addition to the bachelor’s in RMI, the natural partnership between USF Sarasota-Manatee campus and FCCI has led to further exploration of opportunities to strategically blend the RMI degree and the university’s degree in cybersecurity. According to Kristi Hoskinson, FCCI marketing and community relations consultant, the company has hosted interns from USF Sarasota-Manatee campus and hired several graduates from the three USF campuses. The established relationship between USF Sarasota-Manatee campus and FCCI is mutually beneficial – and growing.
