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Mr Oliver Madziwire of Altfin (right), who scooped the top award at the Insurance Institute of Zimbabwe Sumer School graduation ceremony last week, is congratulated by IIZ president Mr Chomi Makina (middle) and NicozDiamond marketing manager Ms Odiline Kava, who is also a member of the institute’s public relations committee

Business Reporter
SEVENTY insurance practitioners who attended the restructured Insurance Institute of Zimbabwe summer school in Nyanga in August, on Wednesday received certificates after successfully completing tasks that they were assigned after the summer school.
Ten of the practitioners also walked away with awards with Mr Oliver Madziwire of Altfin being the biggest winner at the graduation ceremony after landing the top prize.

The graduates were asked to come up with business models to start a business as part of their practical under the entrepreneurial leadership topic.

The activity was one of the new innovations that the IIZ introduced this year to make the summer school more interactive as opposed to being a platform where delegates only listen to presentation by an array of speakers.

IIZ president Mr Chomi Makina, who was the guest of honour, said the decision to revamp the summer school was taken to bridge the knowledge gap in the insurance industry.

“After assessing the knowledge gap in the industry, we decided that summer school would also play a part in bridging that gap.
“In this respect, we came up with a new structure which is interactive.

“You are the first class to go through this structure which heralds exciting times and a conducive learning platform for delegates. Gone are the days when summer school was a conference where delegates would come and listen to speakers.

“With the new set-up, you were challenged to think outside the box.
“You were also challenged to unfold your inert leadership potential.

“Our desire is to see you leading change that brings positive outcomes to you, your families, companies and the country.
“We believe the assignment you were tasked to complete opened your eyes to the abundant entrepreneurial opportunities you can grab and run with,” he said.

He added that: “As IIZ, we are excited as it is the first graduation of its kind at the institute. Never had we ever had people graduating after attending summer school.

“The summer school you attended was different in many respects to the one most people are familiar with.
“From the feedback we got from market, you got value out of it; which demonstrates the institute’s eagerness to embrace new ideas to benefit our industry and country as a whole.”

Mr Makina said the new structure was designed in a way that delegates will be developed into full-fledged versatile insurance practitioners over three years as part of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

“Next year, you will be Class 2. Therefore, we are going to be having two classes, that is your class and Class 1 that will be made up of ‘new’ delegates.

“In the third year, we will have three classes, that class 1, 2 and 3.
“The school will be spiced up with group work and individual assignments that speak to topical leadership and technical issues.
“The new-look summer school has opened our eyes to the possibility of establishing CPD programmes for insurance professionals in the near future.

“The certificates that you will be given today will definitely place you in a better position in terms of learning credits/points when CPD programmes start running.

“I therefore congratulate you for your achievement; for being the pioneering class,” he said.
The main aim of the summer school is to provide a platform for training and grooming future leaders in the insurance industry.

Particular emphasis is on grooming leaders who will make things happen, restore the glory of the industry and take the industry to lofty heights from the foundations that the current leaders are laying.
Delegates to the summer school are mainly drawn from supervisors, junior and middle managers as well as other interested persons.