MALVERN, PA — The Institutes Agent & Broker Group and The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers have introduced a new professional designation designed to strengthen early-career development in the employee benefits field. The Professional Employee Benefits Consultant (PEBC™) program expands the two organizations’ longstanding partnership as they work to address mounting workforce shortages across the commercial insurance brokerage industry.
The designation provides foundational training for professionals with fewer than two years of experience in employee benefits roles, including consultants, account managers, client service representatives, and business development associates. Leaders from both organizations said the program is intended to build confidence and core competencies within a segment of the industry facing rising complexity and growing demand for specialized expertise.
“Helping people grow in their careers starts with giving them the tools to feel confident, capable, and connected to the work they do,” said Pete Miller, president and CEO of The Institutes. He noted that employee benefits work is inherently complex and deeply personal for clients, making well-prepared professionals essential to long-term industry strength.
John Howard, chair of The Council’s Board of Directors, said solving the sector’s talent gap will require coordinated effort. He cited the organizations’ shared commitment to elevating the brokerage profession and expanding opportunities for new entrants.
Council President and CEO Joel Wood highlighted the rapid growth of employee benefits work among Council member firms, which now advise on two-thirds of all employer-sponsored health plans in the United States. He said the new designation meets a critical workforce development need as firms continue to expand their benefits practices.
The PEBC designation mirrors the structure of the Professional Risk Consultant (PRC®) program reintroduced last year for early-career property and casualty professionals. To earn the PEBC, participants must complete two core courses and an ethics course through one of two pathways: a self-paced, on-demand track or a hybrid curriculum led by University of Wisconsin School of Business instructors.
The Institutes and The Council said the program is designed to support long-term career growth, improve client service, and strengthen the overall talent pipeline at a time when the sector is undergoing significant demographic and competitive pressures.
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