The Institutes Agent & Broker Group and
The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers
Collaborate on Early-Career Employee Benefits Designation
The Institutes Agent & Broker Group, The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council), The Institutes Designations, announce the launch of the Professional Employee Benefits Consultant (PEBC™).
This new program provides early-career brokerage talent with the foundational knowledge and skills they need to grow and excel in their roles. The launch of the designation marks the expansion of The Institutes' longstanding partnership with The Council, as both organizations work to address the talent gap across the commercial insurance brokerage sector.
“Helping people grow in their careers starts with giving them the tools to feel confident, capable, and connected to the work they do. That’s especially true in employee benefits, where the issues are complex, the impact is personal, and trusted guidance matters,” said Pete Miller, CPCU, President and CEO of The Institutes. “Through our continued collaboration with The Council, we’re proud to offer a program that equips early-career professionals with the kind of foundational knowledge that supports long-term success—and delivers lasting value.”
"Solving for the tremendous challenge we face in bridging the talent gap is going to require creativity, collaboration and leadership from all facets of our industry," said John Howard, Chair of The Council's Board of Directors, and immediate past Chair of The Institutes Board of Trustees. "I've seen firsthand how passionate and committed both The Council and The Institutes are to elevating the brokerage profession, and I look forward to seeing the impact of these efforts, both within my firm and across The Council's membership community."
"Over the past twenty years, The Council has gradually and intentionally increased our investment in the benefits side of the business, and we've seen exponential growth in our members' market share in this area," said Council President/CEO Joel Wood. "With Council member firms currently advising, in some capacity, on two thirds of all employer-sponsored health plans in the US, this new EB designation addresses a critical need - developing, upskilling and career-pathing the next generation of benefits professionals."
The PEBC designation is geared toward those interested in employee benefits with less than two years of experience in insurance brokerage, including consultants, account managers, client service representatives and business development associates. The designation serves as a counterpart to the Professional Risk Consultant (PRC®) designation, re-launched last year, for early-career risk management and property/casualty professionals.
Earning a PEBC designation requires completion of two core courses and one ethics course.
The new PEBC can be earned via two paths:
- PEBC™ On-demand - A self-paced, on-demand learning pathway, offering online courses with video, interactive activities and simulated exams.
- PEBC™ Hybrid - An instructor-led, virtual learning experience with instruction from University of Wisconsin School of Business professors.
Corporate packages offer a cost-efficient way to bring on-demand programming in-house and train new employees at scale. For more information on the Professional Risk Consultant and Professional Employee Benefits Consultant designations, visit our web site.