Bermudian students studying at the College of Insurance in New York have taken a lesson from the executives' handbook and are attending the annual Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS) conference to network with industry representatives.

Colin Anderson, who is in his second year of a four-year Bachelor of Business Administration degree at the college, even had 50 generic business cards to hand out at the conference.

"I don't need any more,'' he said in response to a question. "I just need to know the key people.'' Mr. Anderson, 20, is one of nine Bermudian students from the college attending the conference. They and eight other College of Insurance students are being sponsored by Ted Blanch, of EW Blanch, who is on the board of trustees.

They are hoping to further their knowledge of the insurance business through attending some of the educational sessions, make contacts, and perhaps even set themselves up for an eventual job.

Mr. Anderson is taking a co-op programme at the College of Insurance and works part time at Global Excess Partners in New York. He is also student government president. At the Global Excess he's sorting through files to gather data on the premium business the two-year-old company. His education is being sponsored by Bermuda-based ACE Ltd.

"My goal is to get into political risk underwriting,'' he said. "I hope to meet some people who can set me up with an internship.'' Angelika Rohlmann and Sandra Richards are also two of the 14 Bermudians attending the College of Insurance, and who are at the conference. They work part time at ACE USA's New York office. Ms Rohlmann works in the speciality division, in the actuarial and underwriting services. She will enter the college's Masters of Business Administration programme next year.

"I'm fiddling with numbers,'' she said.

Ms Richards is rewriting policy forms for an account. She graduates in 2000 in the Masters of Business Administration programme.

"We are working on real stuff -- finally,'' Ms Richards said.

Ms Richards started out in the insurance business by first working for ACE in Bermuda as a secretary to the vice president and controller. She decided to further her education and went off to take marketing at Clark Atlanta University in 1995. After graduating in 1998 she spent the summer working at ACE USA Atlanta's office. The company decided to sponsor her education at the college.

"I finally got on the right track to where I want to go,'' she said.

BUSINESS BUC