The BFIS 2019 Bermuda Intro-to-Insurance Internships kicked off last week when a group of four Bermuda students and two students from the Katie School of Insurance and Risk Management at Illinois State University began an intensive three-week internship, with visits planned to over 30 re/insurance companies and related organisations during that period.

The students thus far have enjoyed meeting with brokers, underwriters, claims analysts, actuaries and lawyers, to name but a few.

One of the interns said: “We are only halfway through the internship and have learnt so much in a really short space of time. Every company visited to date has made us feel welcome and everyone has gone out of their way to explain things and give sound advice. It’s been an amazing experience so far and we are really looking forward to the remainder of the internship — we are grateful to BFIS for giving us this great opportunity.”

Stephen Jones, chairman of BFIS, said: “We are very grateful to Allied World who underwrite the Bermuda Internship programme, and are most appreciative of the efforts of all the participating companies in hosting the students. This is a very busy period so it is gratifying that professionals are willing to take time out of their busy schedules to give presentations, provide overviews of the various areas of insurance and generally talk about the inner workings of the industry in order to give students interested in insurance careers the best possible introduction to the market.

“We simply would not be able to offer these internships without the wonderful support we get from the numerous companies that host the students. In fact, it’s an all-round benefit in that the students get an education and it sparks their interest while companies are helping to train up future employees.”