Sponsored content: Bernadette Hackett, head of customer management EMEA at Zurich Commercial Insurance, discusses the rich opportunities available in the insurance sector for those just beginning their careers
At a time when joining the jobs market looks daunting and the UK government’s own figures warn nearly one million young people aged between 16 and 24 are not in education, employment or training, insurance has an important message for young people starting out in their careers.
Our sector is a hidden gem where young talent is valued and where AI is opening doors and speeding up progression – so don’t lose hope.
At Zurich, we’re seeing new opportunities spring directly from these technologies that are particularly suited to new starters.
New entrants come into the business through multiple routes – work experience, internships apprenticeships and our graduate scheme.
We also recruit young people directly into some roles where we can see their potential. Newcomers bring a fresh perspective to challenges such as how we can speed up processes and improve our ways of doing business.
Historically, entry level roles in our multinational team could involve quite a lot of keyboard time – handling documents and putting data into multiple platforms. AI now looks after a substantial part of that keying, but that doesn’t mean scrapping all junior roles – those colleagues are our future leaders.
Instead, those roles have got a lot more interesting, a lot more quickly.
A big step
Recent recruits can expect to be dealing with key customers and brokers much earlier in their careers, getting out from behind a screen and being face-to-face with the people who work for huge brands and who need our support to progress their ambitions.
That’s a big step up, so we have a new Multinational Centre of Excellence dedicated to helping them succeed. Colleagues are given training to ensure they understand all lines of business, supported by managers and peers.
All of this opens doors to some of my favourite things about working in insurance – the chance to get behind the scenes of a multitude of industries and to see the world.
When I look back on my 30 years in the industry, I’ve had a huge variety of experiences. I worked on the Wembley Stadium project, I’ve been deep in mines in the heart of Australia and I’ve collaborated on infrastructure projects all around the world.
Young people may hesitate to tell family and friends they’re going to work in insurance. They shouldn’t.
Instead of choosing just one industry, insurance can give them the chance to work with industries from banking to energy and to high end fashion houses, to see major manufacturers up close and to be part of how new technologies are designed and taken to market.
We’re also offering exciting UK opportunities outside of London, where we have major multinational customers.
Our broker networks in the regions are a core growth area where our people are empowered to make decisions, build relationships and introduce new approaches. Age is no barrier to progress, as demonstrated by our regional market head Georgina Davis, who was promoted to her role at just 28 – our youngest ever colleague to hold the position.
At a time when some young people may feel their prospects are narrowing, insurance is proving itself as a sector that recognises potential and rewards ambition.
Far from reducing opportunities, advances in AI are helping young professionals develop valuable skills faster and get to the really interesting parts of their careers sooner. I’m excited about what we can do as an industry to bring the hidden gem of insurance more into the open.
