The Australian Insurance Law Association (AILA) is inviting young professionals in the insurance industry to apply for its annual Ron Shorter Award, a public speaking competition.
Eligibility for the award is restricted to those aged 35 or younger, or those with less than five years of experience in the industry.
Interested individuals must apply online by June 7, 2024, and submit a proposed insurance-related topic for their speech. Entry is free.
AILA will select 30 applicants to participate in a complimentary 90-minute online public speaking workshop led by the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) on June 28, 2024.
Following the workshop, participants will present a two-minute speech on their selected topic during a 90-minute session with AIM and AILA representatives on July 19, 2024.
Three finalists will receive six additional hours of intensive training with AIM and will advance to the final round, held in Brisbane on September 10, 2024.
In the final round, the finalists will deliver a 10-minute presentation on their topic to a panel of judges and an audience of industry professionals, both in-person and online.
The competition awards $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place.
Melanie Quixley, national president of AILA and principal at Barry Nilsson Lawyers, noted the importance of both online and face-to-face presentation skills in today’s professional environment.
“Contemporary presenters are expected to hold an audience both online and in person, and the competition was changed in 2023 to challenge applicants in both those mediums,” she said. “The competition provides invaluable training plus exposure to industry peers and luminaries for young professionals who are the future of the industry.”
Since its establishment in 2012, the Ron Shorter Award has supported over 550 young professionals in the insurance field.
The award honours Ron Shorter, who served as practice manager at Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers in Sydney until his death in 2012. He was a long-time supporter of AILA and a mentor to many, recognising the importance of public speaking skills for career advancement in the insurance industry.
Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers is the gold sponsor of the award, with Dever’s List as the silver sponsor and Jarm (Fire, Consulting, Adjusting) sponsoring the prizes.
