MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–For the third consecutive year, Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life^®) made Training Magazine’s 2016 Training Top 125 list for its excellence in employer-sponsored training and development programs. Earning its highest ranking to date, Allianz Life moved up 35 spots from 2015, ranking 57^th on the 2016 list. Allianz Life was highlighted for outstanding training initiatives including those that support compliance, business administration and business expertise.

Allianz Life has a strong focus on employee and leadership development. The company offers an array of training options that support employee development and career growth. In the last year, Allianz Life added a new training initiative from Lynda.com and various product proficiency courses. The financial services company also offers employees easy-to-use career planning and performance management tools known as MyCareer on its intranet.

“We’re excited to receive this award as it represents the company’s continued focus on employee development, which is central to what makes our company a great place to work,” said Denise Brinker, VP of Learning and Development. “This is great recognition, not only for learning professionals across the company, but also the many leaders and subject matter experts who contribute greatly to our learning programs and bring employee development to life.”

How Companies are Selected

The Top 125 ranking is determined by assessing a range of factors, including financial investment in employee development, demonstrable results of learning programs, the scope of programs, and how closely such efforts are linked to achieving a strategic goal. Now in its 17^th year, Training Top 125 ranks its list based on a variety of benchmarks including hours of training, training budget, initiatives, metrics, employee satisfaction and business results.

Companies applying for Top 125 complete a detailed application, which is scored both quantitatively (70 percent of total score) by an outside data company and qualitatively (30 percent of total score) by Training magazine editors and Top 10 Hall of Fame representatives.

About Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, one of FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2016, has been keeping its promises since 1896. Today, it carries on that tradition, helping Americans achieve their retirement income and protection goals with a variety of annuities and life insurance products. As a leading provider of fixed index annuities, Allianz Life is part of Allianz SE, a global leader in the financial services industry with 147,000 employees worldwide. More than 85 million private and corporate customers rely on Allianz knowledge, global reach, and capital strength to help them make the most of financial opportunities.