Dear Sir,

Despite the now well-documented challenges permeating the reinsurance industry, there remain many great opportunities for Bermudians — even, yes, for young Bermudians motivated to develop the talents and skills needed take advantage of these.

Take the actuarial profession, for example. As a young Bermudian pursuing the profession, I have been impressed by the support I’ve received from those working in the industry, both at home and abroad. Equally, however, I am amazed at how few Bermudian high school and university students are exploring the actuarial career path; unfortunately, I can count on one hand the number of Bermudian actuarial students I know. This is problematic, as employers I’ve spoken with have expressed disappointment at the relative lack of qualified Bermudian actuaries, and how willing they would be to develop smart, hard-working students through the profession.

Fortunately, the Island has no dearth of smart, hard-working students. But the Bermudian talent pool must improve and more effort in schools is needed to align our students’ interests and skill-sets with the needs of a demanding industry. Students should be encouraged to not give up on mathematics when they move to higher education, regardless of where their ultimate interests lie. Like me, they may have hated maths in high school, and wanted to see nothing more of it after basic calculus.

Although I stuck with maths in earnest in college, I was the exception among my peers, not the rule. With maturity, however, I’ve found students grow to appreciate the usefulness, if not the natural beauty and efficiency, of mathematics. More, students with exposure to higher-level maths will be better prepared for just about any industry they pursue in Bermuda and farther afield. Basically, you will not ever regret taking a maths class, even if you don’t want to become an actuary.

For those who do, there are many success stories of Bermudian actuaries, and, I hope and expect, there will be many more to come. The actuarial profession is one of the few trades on the Island to likely have zero Bermudian unemployment. With demand for locals high, and with supply worryingly low, this should remain the case. The actuarial field is challenging, and, yes, not for everyone. Optimistically, there still are many opportunities within Bermuda’s international business sector for students with strong quantitative backgrounds, or students with the drive to develop such skills. Bermudian catastrophe modellers, risk analysts, database managers, software developers and more, to name a few, remain coveted.

I’m not ignorant, though: securing entry-level employment in Bermuda is no guarantee, even if you’re talented. For those who cannot gain a position locally, do not be afraid to venture abroad for a few years — gain some international exposure, hone your talents and then return home, ready to chart your path to success and to help to drive the Island’s economic recovery. Bermuda deserves only the best.

RYAN W