Colonial Claims, EKCEP Bringing Training Opportunity Back to the Mountains with Employment for Graduating Participants
One year after successfully helping Eastern Kentuckians begin careers in the insurance industry with a new and innovative internship opportunity, Colonial Claims and Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), Inc. are teaming up again, and this time with an even shorter turnaround time to full employment.
Colonial Claims, a nationwide insurance claims adjuster company, is partnering with EKCEP to bring back its remote internship program to assist up to 18 eligible participants in becoming work-from-home insurance claims examiners who will work with multiple customers, both big and small, across the country who have experienced property damage due to storms or other related issues.
Colonial Claims Founder and Board Chairman Doug Branham said last year’s partnership with EKCEP resulted in a number of great applicants moving on to employment as claims examiners, and he’s looking forward to again working to assist others as they embark on similar careers.
“Colonial has a long history of bringing jobs to Eastern Kentucky,” Branham said. “We are committed to this region—always have been and always will be—and to ensuring an atmosphere that values equality, diversity, and inclusivity so that we can bring lifetime, bulletproof job opportunities to all of our mountain people.”
Depending on WIOA eligibility certification and classification, EKCEP will provide a weekly $400 stipend to participants to assist with living costs during the course of the four-month internship, which is two months shorter than the previous Colonial Claims internship period that launched in 2021. Although the program was new in 2021, 11 of the 18 trainees who entered successfully completed the course curriculum provided by Colonial Claims and went to work for the company. That translates to a 61% completion and job placement rate for the initial effort.
Upon successful completion of the now four-month program, Branham will again offer employment for those who have completed the internship and met all benchmarks. The anticipated starting salary will be $35,000 a year, and participants will come out of the program with skills applicable to a multi-billion dollar industry.
The full employer-led internship and training program carries a value of more than $350,000, according to Colonial Claims leadership, but participants who qualify and are selected will have an opportunity to participate at no cost thanks to EKCEP and Colonial’s new partnership.
Harlan County resident Kimberly Begley was one of the 11 people who completed the 2021 internship and immediately received a job offer from Colonial Claims, calling the opportunity one that changed the trajectory of her professional life.
“Graduating from the EKCEP course and starting work with Colonial was such an exciting experience for me. I was a little nervous to start this new journey in my life but everyone at Colonial made me feel so welcomed,” Begley said. “They were there to help guide me through every step. There is always someone available to help you with any questions you may have. They want to make sure your transition into working goes very smoothly. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity. This has truly been life changing for me.”
The Colonial Claims-led internship and training program will provide interns the necessities to participate in the remote training program with training materials and software.
Interns will receive specialized training and certification opportunities, including:
A NFIP/Flood Certification;
Adjusting skills in flood, hail and wind;
Xactimate Certification;
Insurance licenses for multiple states.
The curriculum developed by Colonial Claims prepares interns for on-the-job scenarios and to hit the ground running in the industry, said Elizabeth Caron, who completed the 2021 internship and is currently working remotely for Colonial Claims from her home in Knott County.
“The transition from graduating from the course to employment was seamless and the opportunity has been amazing,” Caron said. “I felt truly prepared to jump into the role I was hired to do. The job has been everything that was promised from day one. The company is amazing and the opportunities for growth and development are endless.”
This latest partnership between Colonial Claims and EKCEP will result in new opportunities for Eastern Kentucky residents and expand the potential for remote work in the region to ensure that people don’t have to leave the region to find work, said Michael Cornett, EKCEP deputy director for employer engagement and program operations.
“We were thrilled to be able to offer this training for Eastern Kentuckians in 2021, and even more so this year,” said Cornett. “I encourage anyone in our service area who wants to build a career without having to leave home to apply today and see if this opportunity is right for you.”
To apply for the program today, go to ekcep.org/colonial and fill out the application there. Space is limited to 18 seats so make sure and apply TODAY. Individuals fluent in both English and Spanish are encouraged to apply.
Now celebrating its 40th year in business, Colonial Claims is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace. Find out more online at colonialclaims.com.
EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. The agency provides an array of workforce development services and operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, which provide access to more than a dozen state and federal programs that offer employment and training assistance for jobseekers and employers all under one roof. Learn more about us at http://www.ekcep.org, http://www.jobsight.org and http://www.facebook.com/ekcep.
