Four teams of university students have spent an intensive summer period as interns within the insurance markets in London, Atlanta, Chicago and Bermuda.

Many of the students, who are all undergraduates, spoke about the experience at a presentation hosted by the Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies, which was attended by more than 50 insurance professionals, former interns and BFIS scholars.

The BFIS programme gives university students the opportunity to learn what the insurance industry is about and what best careers could suit their goals. The 16 interns described it as “an amazing learning experience”.

The intern programmes in Chicago, Atlanta and London are sponsored by XL Catlin, while the Bermuda programme is sponsored by Allied World. BFIS thanked the companies for the support, together with a lengthy list of insurance market companies that have helped the students with work-shadowing experience and networking.

Cathy Lapsley, BFIS’s executive director, said: “Employees from a combined total of 51 companies in the four jurisdictions hosted our students and the time and effort they put into ensuring the presentations, meetings, work-shadowing and networking events were meaningful is invaluable to the interns. We thank them all for participating.”

She also thanked the BFIS Alumni in London group for organising an after-work networking event for the London interns to meet Bermudians working or studying in the city; Debbie Babcock of the Katie School of Insurance and Risk Management at Illinois State University for helping to organise the Chicago schedule; Laura Greene and others from Georgia State University for chauffeuring the Atlanta interns to their appointments; and Mark Lima, a former BFIS president, for assisting with the programme schedule and hosting them at his home.

Ms Lapsley also thanked BFIS administrator Jane Bielby who manages all the overseas programmes, and KPMG for providing the venue for the final presentations.

The interns this year were Chelsea Warren, Walker Campbell, Danielle Wall, Aaron Rego, Daniel Oatley, Zachary Friesen, Kimika Jackson, Ciara Burrows, Courtney Kerr, Courtney Browne, Meagan Stecko, Evan Watkins, Tomisha Goater, Cayla Wade, Khaeljah Burgess and Tashae Trott. Also at the presentation were visiting Katie School of Insurance and Risk Management students, Sal D’Acquisto and Adrian Villa.

A total of 159 Bermudian students have taken part in the programme since it started on the island in 2002. The programme was expanded to involve internship opportunities in Chicago in 2006, London in 2008 and Atlanta in 2012.

Each applicant chooses the jurisdiction they would like to go to and BFIS endeavours to accommodate them. The programme is open to undergraduates usually in their junior or senior years. Students who are interested in the 2018 programmes should e-mail BFIS at info@bfis.bm