Sponsored content: Rachael Howell, insurance people director at Axa, discusses a recent collaborative initiative with the ABI that platformed the voices of the sector’s future leaders
This summer, I had the privilege of seeing the next generation of insurance talent in action as they presented the outcomes of their group project at the ABI.
As part of Axa and the ABI’s wider collaboration on talent, diversity and inclusion, Axa’s 2026 summer internship programme piloted a new industry challenge, designed to amplify the voices of young people entering our sector.
Working in teams, the interns tackled one of the industry’s biggest challenges and a pressing question – how can the insurance and long-term savings sector attract and build a strong pipeline of future talent?
Their task was not just to identify barriers, but to propose practical ideas that firms and the wider industry could act on.
Intern-led initiative
The initiative itself was suggested by previous Axa interns and taken forward for this year’s cohort.
They explored why engagement with insurance careers remains low and what might change that, giving senior leaders at Axa and the ABI an unfiltered view of how the sector is perceived by those entering the workforce, while helping interns apply their skills in critical thinking, teamwork, and presentation.
Presenting to a judging panel from Axa, the ABI and Davies, the interns were candid about where the industry needs to do more – offering meaningful work experience, making recruitment more transparent and accessible and confidently articulating the purpose and social value of insurance.
Their core message was simple – when young people understand the breadth, purpose and impact of insurance careers, and see people from different backgrounds succeeding in them, they are more excited by the prospect of joining the sector.
Many of the interns’ ideas mirrored live policy work involving government, the ABI and its members. They called out the value of investing in professional and technical development, further endorsing this priority for organisations across the industry.
Building momentum
The ABI’s manager for DEI and customer outcomes, Liisa Antola, also praised the initiative.
“Young people are vital to the future of our sector, and this project shows why we must listen to their perspectives and create more opportunities for them to take part,” she explained.
“One of the interns’ clearest recommendations was to use high-quality work experience as part of the solution to building a stronger and more diverse talent pipeline. There is strong progress to build on – our members welcomed 2,622 young people onto structured work experience programmes in 2024, up from 288 in 2022.
“But attracting young people is only the first step. We also need to invest in their networks, learning and development once they join. That is why we’re expanding our existing Young Professionals event series across the UK.
“But no single organisation can address the sector’s talent challenge alone. By working together, sharing what works and showing more clearly the purpose and impact of insurance, we can inspire the next generation and build a stronger, more inclusive industry.”
Watching our interns present, I saw what happens when young people are invited to help shape the industry they are joining. Many of our interns want to return to Axa and stay in the insurance sector after they graduate – a clear reflection of the impact of both the programme and this initiative.
In collaboration with the ABI, our ambition now is to build on that momentum.
If we keep listening and acting, this could mark the start of an approach that makes a meaningful difference – both for the sector and for those who will define its future.
