Insurance rural rider a career draw for ex-defence personnel
Exodus Prompts Cos To Look At Unconventional Segment For Recruitment

Following the training session, these ex-defence personnel are posted as unit managers for the company’s rural business

Our Bureau

CHENNAI

‘It’s never too late to switch careers. That’s the message being sent out by these ex-defence personnel who are now busy se]]ing life insurance policies in India’s rural hamlets. For nearly six months now, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has recruited more than 200 such former defence personnel, to shore up the company’s rural business. The private life insurance major is also planning to rope in officers who’ve taken up voluntary retirement to sell insurance policies. The demand for talent and the high attrition levels in the banking and insurance sector are also driving companies to look at unconventional segments for recruitment.

“While the officers get a full-time career post at a location of their choice, we get employees with discipline and leadership qualities,” said Mr NS Kannan, executive director, 1CICI Prudential.

The personnel employed belong to the non-commissioned officers NCO) category and they mostly hail from the semi-urban and rural areas. “We are posting these officers as unit managers in their hometowns. We will also look at recruiting officers from other sectors who’ve taken up voluntary retirement,” saidMrJudhajitDas, chief-human resources, ICICI Prudential. To train the retired NCOs, the company has instituted a six-week certificate in insurance management (CIM) programme in association with STRIVE, an institute that provides vocational education and training. Following the training session, these ex-defence personnel are posted as unit managers for the company’s rural business. A unit manager typically has around 30-3 5 agents working under him.
Forty-two year old S Duraisamy Pandian, anNCO-turnedunitmanager posted at Tirunelveli, shared his experiences in the corporate world. “The job got me closer to my family. Also, it gave me confidence to deal with a lot of people and enhance my knowledge.” Salary-wise, while 24 years of service with the armed forces earned him Rs 11,000 a month, he now makes dose to Rs 18,000 per month plus a performance-linked variable component. While ICICI Prudential currently posting these personnel to drive rural business, Mr Das said that the company would also recruit officers in managerial positions in the urban areas. Ruralbusiness currently accounts for around 3% of the overall portfolio, which the company expects to increase over the next year.