As part of this year’s Jersey Finance Life in Finance scheme, we were delighted to welcome student Amber for a two-week placement, giving her the opportunity to experience first-hand the variety of roles and career paths available within insurance.
Through the scheme, Jersey Finance works with local firms to provide students with valuable workplace experience and a better understanding of the career opportunities available to them. We have supported the scheme for a number of years and value the opportunity it gives us to help young people explore their future career options.
We caught up with Amber at the end of her placement to hear more about her experience and what she took away from her time with us.
How did you feel before starting your placement, and what were you hoping to learn?
Before starting my work experience, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I chose to do a placement because I wanted to see what working in an office environment was actually like and whether the finance or insurance industry was something I could see myself doing in the future.
I have to admit, when I first thought of an office job, I imagined it might be quite repetitive. However, my experience here changed that view. I also thought you might stick to one type of policy, such as vehicles or travel insurance, but it’s clear the work is much more varied than that.
Did you spend your placement in one particular area of the business?
No. Throughout my placement, I spent time with various people from different departments, including Personal Lines, Private Clients, Healthcare, Commercial and Sales.
Was there anything that particularly surprised you?
One of the biggest things I noticed was how closely the departments work together and even though they all have different roles, they communicate regularly and keep each other updated, especially when they have the same clients. I was also surprised by how well everyone knows their clients and it made me realise that insurance is much more personal then I originally thought, and building good relationships with customers is a really important part of the job.
What were some of the highlights of your placement?
I really enjoyed spending time with the Commercial and Sales team. We went for a walk around town and looked at some of the different things the business insures. Seeing how different policies apply in real-life situations helped me understand insurance much more clearly. I also had the opportunity to look at some of the less common types of insurance, which I found really interesting.
With the Healthcare team, I was able to be more hands-on helping with administrative tasks. I really enjoyed this because I’m quite a practical person and find that I learn better when I’m doing something rather than just watching someone else.
One thing I also found really interesting was the sessions on personal branding and LinkedIn. The personal branding workshop made me think about how I present myself and how I want other people to perceive me, particularly in a professional environment. The LinkedIn session also gave me a better idea of how I can start building my professional profile.
What have you taken away from the experience?
As I already study Business and Finance at college, I had some knowledge of insurance before coming here. However, my placement allowed me to see how these things actually work in a workplace, and I have learnt the importance of communication, organisation, professionalism and adapting how you communicate with different people.
Has the placement helped you think about your future career?
I now have a better understanding of what insurance involves and how many different areas there are within the industry, and I would consider a career in insurance in the future.
I also like that there are opportunities to move between different departments, meaning you can develop and change your career without necessarily having to leave the business.
Most importantly, I think this experience has helped me understand more about what I want from a future career and has shown me that an office-based career can be much more varied and interesting than I originally thought.
Supporting the next generation
For us at Rossborough, a Gallagher company, supporting the Life in Finance scheme is about giving local students the chance to experience the workplace for themselves, ask questions and discover career paths they may not previously have considered.
We wish Amber every success with her studies and look forward to seeing where her career takes her.