Bermudian-based Validus is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its student programme, and a number of former students who now work at the firm have spoken about how the programme helped them achieve their goals.

Validus said the programme takes an holistic approach to student development, including career exploration, access to industry leading professionals, and practical experience.

More than a dozen alumni have been hired to full-time positions across the Validus Group.

To mark the anniversary, the students completed the following question and answer exercise to share their memories of the programme and gave advice to students setting out on their career journey.

• What do you remember most fondly about the programme?

Ally Roberts, an underwriter, said: “The unparalleled access to reinsurance professional and industry leaders as well as the opportunity to grow my network both within the department I was placed in and across other key business functions.”

Sarah Maybury, analyst, finance and investments, said: “Students are given the opportunity to attend an internal seminar series where we get the opportunity to meet with department heads and other senior staff to discuss their career paths. As my educational background was non-traditional, I found these seminars encouraging as each department head had a very different experience that brought them to where they are today.”

Megan Knight, group capital modelling analyst, said: “The programme also puts emphasis on us students spending time together as a group whether it be attending seminars or working together on a local charitable project for the summer. Learning to work as a team is a key skill in the workplace today.”

• How did your experience in the programme help you to grow as a young professional?

Helen Crisson , actuarial analyst, said: “The skills learnt during my time as a summer student are still useful in the actuarial department today. I have been able to continue improving my skills in areas such as Excel and the programming language ‘R’. I also honed my communication skills and built confidence by asking questions to fully understand what I was working on.”

Nicole Morbey, learning and talent development business partner, said: My experiences taught me just how important it is to embrace technology and be willing to understand a system’s different functionalities. Having the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in such systems really prepared me for a smooth transition into my role today.”

Kayla Johnson, assistant manager, said: “This internship also helped with the development of key interpersonal skills and self-reliance. These are skills which cannot be taught during a course in university.”

• What was most surprising/unexpected during your transition from student to full-time?

Ms Knight said: “One thing which I found to be really surprising was that the type of work I do, while slightly different in focus, feels no different to the projects that I worked on during my internship. I think this is a real testament to the programme in that I was able to contribute by doing meaningful work.”

Ms Johnson said: “The initial struggle to maintain a good work-life balance was unexpected, particularly during busy periods. This is something young professionals need to be aware of as full-time employment comes with a lot more responsibility and self-management.”

Eric Cabral, senior corporate accountant, said: “I’m more tired now than I was in university. Working 9am to 5pm is much harder than studying 9am to 3am.

“As a former student yourself, tell us about your experiences managing and working with the summer students in the business today.”

Ms Johnson said: “I am regularly involved with the management of students. I enjoy being able to assist in training sessions, as it is rewarding to be able to see skill-sets develop and blossom.”

Daniel Fiddick, actuarial analyst, said: “Whilst I haven’t had the opportunity to manage any students yet, I did have the opportunity to work with multiple people who had also been through the summer student programme. This meant they had a good understanding of my level of experience and background knowledge, so they were all very helpful and encouraged me to ask questions.”

• What do you wish people knew about the student programme?

Alexis Smith, IT analyst, said: “These internships are much more than just a summer job. You get a chance to learn and understand how the business works. You make lifelong friends even if you don’t end up working together.”

Ms Roberts said: “The entire experience should also be treated as if every single interaction is important.”

• What advice would you give to students looking to gain experience in the re/insurance industry today?

Ms Morbey said: “Go to networking events, take a step out of your comfort zone and engage in conversation. You want to leave an impression so you will be remembered by industry professionals who one day might interview you for a position.”

Ms Maybury said: “Don’t worry if you’re not studying anything traditionally business related as there are so many different types of roles that require a range of skill sets.”

Mr Fiddick said: “Student programmes are such a good way to get exposure to a variety of roles and see businesses from multiple perspectives. You may find yourself pursuing a career in a field you knew nothing about prior to your internship.”