Amlin Insurance are looking for future leaders to join their two-year graduate programme. Alex Murden, one of the last graduate intakes, answers questions on what it is like to be part of the programme.
1. Who are Amlin?
Amlin are a leading insurance group operating in the Lloyds, UK, continental Europe and Bermudian markets. They insure everything from satellites to thoroughbred horses, rare works of art to jumbo jets.
2. Why did you join the Amlin graduate programme?
I wanted to get into insurance but similar schemes on offer were more underwriting or claims focused. I saw the Amlin scheme and found it intriguing that they insured war and political risk and I knew I wanted to find out more. Also it had an international secondment which allowed me to work abroad during one of the placements.
3. What were you doing before?
Before I joined the programme I was studying history at university. When I graduated I was preparing to go travelling in Spain and learn another language – the graduate programme came up and I decided to do that instead as it was such a fantastic opportunity.
4. What happened in those initial weeks/months?
When I started the programme I had to prepare a presentation on what I had done over the summer and what attributes and qualities I would bring to the business – I had to demonstrate how I could be of benefit to the organisation.
I had an induction period at an office in Tower Hill – along with some graduates from our European office – and we had a series of challenges which were not unlike the tasks in the TV show The Apprentice. The final challenge was to create a recruitment video for the graduate website. I found it really interesting and it was great to meet new colleagues.
5. What are you doing now?
I'm currently with the claims department and have just finished with the casualty liability team, which includes medical malpractice law suits. The work is really varied and always interesting and stimulating – I don't have time to get bored.
6. What are the opportunities like at Amlin?
The opportunities are incredible for graduates especially as it was a small graduate intake and HR invests lots of time in developing future talent. However, with this come high expectations. We get put onto the CIMA qualification which is very different to other graduate schemes that enroll you on to the ACCA programme. Although CIMA is harder to do it is more rewarding and opens you up to a career that is not just claims based, that has scope to put you on a journey to qualify and put you on a path that would eventually lead you to being on the board of directors. That's where I'd like to be anyway.
7. What would you say to people who have preconceived ideas about a career in insurance?
When people think of insurance they are likely to think of companies like Direct Line and Admiral – that it's not very exciting – but when you come into the London market, particularly a leading Lloyds insurer like Amlin, they take crazy risks and insure everything from astronauts to spaceships. Lloyds is the market of last choice, which means we only get the complicated risks that no one else would touch – this makes Amlin a fantastic place to work as you're never bored.
8. What are the benefits of being part of a small graduate intake rather than one of the larger ones?
Amlin take on fewer people than other schemes which means you get a lot more investment and attention from group HR. You get a lot more support for your professional qualifications which is key as other graduate schemes leave you to get on with it, whereas Amlin allow you to take two days off per exam plus the day of the exam itself. I recently sat three exams which allowed me a week and a half off to study which was fantastic as a lot of companies won't do this for you. Amlin want you here for the long term, they want you to carve out a career – they don't want you to be someone's assistant for the next 10 years, they see you as management material and encourage your progression as much as possible.
9. Where do you see yourself in five years time?
In five years time I would like a lot more responsibility perhaps as an assistant manager of a team – I don't want to be a number cruncher, I want to be a decision maker. The graduate programme will allow me to do this which makes this a realistic goal.
10. Would you recommend the Amlin programme to other graduates?
Definitely. I have been on the programme for just over a year now and I can honestly say it has been fantastic – challenging and hard work, yes, but stimulating and extremely rewarding. If you want to explore your capabilities and stretch your potential, I would encourage you to apply now.
If you would like to find out about Amlin's graduate programme for 2014 click here.
