Six Bermudian university students have completed the Ace Select insurance-focused internship programme with global insurer Ace Group.

The 12-week programme focused on providing hands-on experience, team building, networking, and professional skills development and gave the interns experience of various lines of the insurance business.

The programme rotates the students between three insurance departments — excess liability, professional lines and property. Based on performance, interns are selected to return to Ace for a second summer internship, and work in a specific business unit.

Ace Select also gave the students the opportunity to participate in several development workshops to enhance their business and leadership skills. Most recently the interns, as well as the Ace summer students, participated in a community day at WindReach Bermuda. The students cleared weeds, and watered and created a mandala garden. The community project aligns with Ace’s corporate philanthropy, the company said, adding that the environment is a priority and Ace believes in engaging its students in environmental efforts.

The six students were Lydia Barit, Taré Brangman, Amanda Brown, Julia Dunne, Jack Keyes and Denzel Simons.

“I am pleased with how well the programme went which was evident in the project the students presented at the closing ceremony,” Rees Fletcher, division president, Ace Bermuda, said.

“The Ace Select interns did a great job in and out of the office. They worked hard to develop the necessary skills to begin a career in the insurance industry, whilst also learning to serve the community in which they live by fulfilling Ace’s Green mission.”

On August 7, the six Ace Select students presented their end of summer project to management, which demonstrated the students’ understanding of the insurance business.

“The Ace Select internship has been a full immersion into the underwriting process,” Julia Dunne, one of the interns, said. “We get to work on accounts side-by-side with the underwriters, but also get a broader view of each department’s business model and culture by rotating between the product lines.

“I have really enjoyed that our mentors teach us as much as we can absorb without watering down the material to give us a challenge and sense of responsibility. In the last few weeks we had more time to collaborate on our group project. It was a great opportunity to work on the strategic level and choose the direction of our own research.”

The two students chosen from the 2013 group to work in a specific support unit were Dominique Richardson and Richard Voaden.

For more information on the Ace Select programme, visit www.acegroup.com/bm.