Ace Bermuda has selected two underwriting trainees to join its newly-created underwriting graduate trainee programme.

Kimberly Lewis and Andrew Osborne have joined Ace's professional lines and excess liability departments respectively.

The programme is designed to provide Bermudians interested in pursuing a career in underwriting, with professional and personal development opportunities while gaining industry knowledge, technical skills and practical work experience.

The focused two-year programme includes various learning methodologies, opportunity for overseas secondment, and participation in Ace's US training programme. Both Ms Lewis and Mr. Osborne have already begun their studies towards their Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) professional designation.

Rees Fletcher, president and CEO of Ace Bermuda, said: "I am delighted to welcome Kimberly and Andrew to Ace Bermuda. I am certain that they will find the programme to be an extremely rewarding and worthwhile experience. The graduate trainee programme is Ace's newest learning and development initiative that complements our current offering of student opportunities including the Robert Clements/Ace Scholarship and Ace's student employment programme, as well as the summer internship programme offered in partnership with Deloitte and HSBC."

Ms Lewis graduated cum laude from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration majoring in Risk Management and Insurance.

She received the prestigious Anita Benedetti RIMS scholarship award to attend the 2010 RIMS Conference in Boston where she was introduced to key members of Ace's executive team. Ms Lewis participated in the 2008 BFIS Chicago internship and was the 2007 recipient of the BFIS Overseas Scholarship award.

"The graduate trainee programme will be invaluable to my career," she said. "To be able to expand and accelerate my industry knowledge, while increasing my business and technical skills is a great advantage. In addition, the opportunity to work at Ace with its global reach is an added benefit."

Mr. Osborne is a graduate of McGill University where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Economics and Geography. His interest in applying for Ace Bermuda's underwriting trainee programme arose from his participation in Ace's student employment programme. For the past three years, during breaks from university, he worked in the excess liability and actuarial departments at Ace Bermuda. Mr. Osborne was a 2009 BFIS Bermuda intern and a recipient of the BFIS Brian Hall Scholarship award.

"Over the past three summers I have gained a wealth of experience from the industry professionals at Ace which has given me a solid foundation," he said. "The graduate trainee programme will allow me to build on that foundation and focus my efforts on learning and development activities necessary to become a successful and qualified underwriter."