More than 60 students and insurance specialists attended a festive season speed networking lunch held by the Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies (BFIS).

The lunch featured a team of volunteer insurance professionals and “speed interviews” between students interested in a career in the industry and those already working in it.

Chelsea Smith, a BFIS scholar, said: “Having attended previous BFIS events, it was like continuing a conversation as I had already met several of the professionals and it was like picking up where we’d left off as they remembered me and wanted to find out how I was progressing with my studies, which was really nice.”

BFIS’ Jane Bielby added: “This Christmas we had more undergraduates than insurance people but we paired up the students with a professional and found that still worked well. The comments we received from both students and professionals were all extremely positive.”

The event was held at the XL conference centre in Hamilton at the end of last month and a further meeting targeting high school pupils will be held next month.

It will focus on students interested in specific careers in the industry — underwriting, actuarial, accounting and finance, and corporate law.

The BFIS Mentor Network is sponsored by the Aon Group’s Rhondelle Tankard Memorial Fund.