When Zico Jones first walked into RenaissanceRe ten years ago to start a short internship, he had little idea it would be one of the most defining moments of his career. But the then 15-year-old CedarBridge student went on to build a mutually beneficial relationship with the company which helped him pay his way through school and eventually arrive at his current position as an information technology engineer.

He first worked at RenRe when the company had only 30 employees and was yet to move to its large office building on East Broadway. One of those employees was to make a profound difference in Mr. Jones' life, however. Dion Tucker, the company's vice-president of information technology, became Mr. Jones' mentor. The youngster went from an internship of filing and other small jobs to being offered a position on the IT team as Mr. Tucker's assistant.

With the guidance of his mentor, Mr. Jones went on to complete CedarBridge and then study computer science at Bermuda College while working part-time at RenRe. From there he moved on to a technical school in Nova Scotia, Canada - CompuCollege.

"After a year and a half, I graduated with a Diploma in Information Systems, specialist with Cisco systems," he said. "Once I completed CompuCollege, I decided to take a year off from studying and improve my skills by working full-time with RenRe. During this time, I applied to three universities and was offered a place by two.

"RenRe recognised my desire, commitment to learn and loyalty to the company and offered to cover my tuition and board for my studies abroad. In 2006, I began an information technology degree at Mount Saint Vincent University."

He sped through the four-year programme and finished in three years, graduating this past May. As part of his degree requirements, Mr. Jones had to complete a number of co-op work experiences. He asked for permission to do these sessions with RenRe and set out for two of the company's global offices to continue his learning curve. Going abroad was very beneficial, he said.

"It allowed me to gain an understanding of how each office's needs differed and to advise Corporate how the network as a whole needed to function," Mr. Jones said. The newly minted young professional, now 25, said the ever evolving nature of IT is central to his fascination with the job.

"My motivation comes from the work itself," he said. "And I'm motivated by accumulating the knowledge required for the job, to achieve even higher goals. Technology is an ever-evolving industry, there are always new things to learn and master. Having the ability to work with a global company such as RenaissanceRe, allows me to take advantage of the knowledge around me and advance even further."

No two days on the job are the same, he added: "The work involves constantly varying projects and working with an extremely diverse group of people."

The job has its challenges, such as the conintual learning and upgrading needed. "Some of the challenges include staying ahead of the curve, staying up to date with current technology through training, as well as finding ways to apply technology concepts to improve business needs," Mr. Jones said.

Seeing his work benefit others brings him great rewards, however, and he is understandably grateful to his mentor.

"In high school, I knew I wanted to do something that would challenge me as well as provide an opportunity for growth," Mr. Jones said. "Having a mentor and working in Information Technology was the key. Dion's mentoring allowed me to focus on my career growth, while also taking advantage of the opportunities around me. Dion also helped me to grasp key technological concepts through practice and guidance from someone already established in the industry. He helped me tailor my career path to meet the industry's requirements."

Family support has also meant a lot to Mr. Jones. "My family provided the guidance, motivation and support for me to continue and strive for success," he said.

While happy with his career to date, he has no intention of slowing down. "I would consider my current success to date as a stepping stone to further education and accomplishments," he said.

"I have successfully obtained my university degree which, in today's society, is a necessity for both personal and professional growth. My future goals are to harness my current knowledge and skills and fine-tune my career growth to advance to the next level."

His job requires that he continually think outside the box. "If you approach a problem or situation with an open mind, it will allow you to find different ways to solve it," he said.

Having found his calling through an early internship, Mr. Jones is proud to be with his company and has some words of wisdon for other young Bermudians looking to the future. "I appreciate being able to work with a knowledgeable team of people who share some of the views and aspirations I have," he said.

"I appreciate being offered a career with a company that promotes personal growth and is committed to its employees. It has been exciting to move through the ranks from Level 1 support to becoming an Information Technology Engineer.

"My advice to young Bermudians who are thinking about their future is, take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. Ignoring these opportunities can potentially hold you back in the future.

"Also, try to find a mentor - having a mentor for me was one of the greatest things. If you can travel and get outside of Bermuda, do it.

"This allows you to build your character and learn different things about yourself and the world around you. Have drive, ambition, be open-minded, and try to get along with everyone. And lastly, give back. To me even though knowledge is power, it only becomes power when you pass it on. By giving back, you give someone else opportunities."