Recruitment Special Part 2: Starting a Career in Insurance (With George Barker)
Nov 6, 2023
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George Barker, Assistant Underwriter at Aspen Insurance, discusses his career path in the insurance industry, including his experience applying for a graduate scheme. He talks about the training involved in the scheme and his role as a crisis management underwriter. The episode also covers the different paths to start a career in insurance, such as apprenticeships and trainee positions, as well as the advantages of the industry like work-life balance and professional growth opportunities.
Insurance offers the opportunity to become an expert in a specific field, such as crisis management, and provides continuous learning and passion for underwriters.
The insurance industry offers competitive graduate recruitment schemes and apprenticeships, focusing on core competencies and personal characteristics rather than solely technical proficiency.
Deep dives
Choosing a Career in Insurance
George Barker, an assistant underwriter at Aspen Insurance, shares why he chose a career in insurance. While considering his future career during his final year at university, George sought a profession that allowed him to explore how the world works. Insurance appealed to him because it offered the opportunity to become an expert in a specific field, such as crisis management. He found the industry more intriguing than traditional career paths like banking and consulting. Through a graduate scheme at Aspen, George gained valuable experience by rotating through different teams, broadening his understanding of the industry beyond property and casualty insurance. He highlights the continuous learning and passion that come with being an underwriter, and sees himself progressing from assistant underwriter to underwriter and eventually heading a team.
Graduate Opportunities and Apprenticeships in Insurance
George explains the process of getting a job in insurance as a graduate. He applied for Aspen's graduate scheme, which involved standard steps like online applications, numerical and verbal reasoning tests, and interviews. He emphasizes that some insurers offer competitive graduate recruitment schemes in various areas, such as underwriting, claims, and compliance. In addition to graduate schemes, there are also apprenticeships available for school leavers, which the industry has been actively promoting in recent years. These apprenticeships provide opportunities for individuals to start a new career outside of the military and leverage their life experiences. George discusses the interview process and the focus on core competencies and personal characteristics rather than solely technical proficiency.
The Advantages of a Career in Insurance
George highlights the advantages of pursuing a career in insurance. He mentions that insurance offers a good work-life balance, allowing individuals to excel in their chosen field while maintaining a fulfilling personal life. The industry also provides continuous learning opportunities, enabling professionals to stay engaged and passionate. George stresses the value of professional qualifications, such as those offered by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), which equip individuals with a broad and thorough foundation in insurance. He encourages graduates and school leavers to consider insurance as a career that provides clear pathways for progression, the opportunity to become experts in specific fields, and a chance to meet passionate professionals who are dedicated to shaping the industry.
Welcome to Insurance Covered, the podcast that covers everything insurance. In this episode Peter is joined by George Barker, Assistant Underwriter at Aspen Insurance and they discuss why he has chosen a career in insurance.
In this episode we cover:
Why George chose insurance as a career.
His experience applying for a graduate scheme.
Why George chose to apply for the Aspen graduate scheme.
The training involved as part of the graduate scheme.
His role as a crisis management underwriter.
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