The Bermuda Insurance Institute (BII) Young Members Committee is dedicated to spreading the word to Bermuda's youth that there is career in insurance waiting for them.

Last week, the Young Members Committee hosted a reception to raise awareness of the group's activities in helping promote the industry.

The event was attended by members of the BII, school teachers, guidance counsellors and insurance executives, all seeking a common goal - to help the Island's youth make the right decisions.

Director of Education and Training for the BII, Peter Doyles said that since the influx of more than a dozen new insurance companies post September 11, there had been a huge demand for courses at the BII, and there are currently more than 200 students enrolled in various courses.

Mr. Doyle said that one of the BII's committees was the Young Members Committee, comprised of individuals who work and are experienced in insurance.

The committee encourages Bermudians, at all levels, who are interested in pursuing a career in the insurance industry.

"There are lots of openings in the industry and we want to make sure students are aware of this," said Mr. Doyle. The aim of last week's reception was to have informal discussions with the educators and counsellors, to answer questions and highlight the many areas of the industry, and what tools students will need to succeed.

Speaking with The Royal Gazette, Young Members Committee member Steve Jones of Allied World Assurance Company Ltd. said the committee's members were young in terms of their experience in the industry, and that from a student's perspective, they can look at people who were where they were a short time ago. "We are able to give those people a lot of advice," said Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones also explained the committee was hoping to reach younger students, and were currently concentrating on middle and senior schools.

Members of the committee have already been to Saltus, BHS, Warwick Academy, and CedarBridge Academy, and they hope to go to more schools and spread the word that Bermudians are needed to work in the Bermuda insurance marketplace. They also attend career fairs and college open days to speak to individuals seeking guidance or assistance. The committee members also offer workshops for teachers to give them information they can then pass on to their students.