Bright star shining in the North East

How did you initially become involved in the Insurance Age Broker Apprentice 2016 and what were your aspirations at the outset?

I had been following the online videos for the past few Broker Apprentice competitions and had threatened to apply in previous years but it never came to fruition. This year I decided to apply as I thought ‘what’s the worst that can happen’? After the interviews, I was lucky enough to be selected as one of this year’s finalists.
I applied as I really wanted to extend my network of insurance contacts along with increasing my knowledge of insurance in a less conventional way, so for me the competition was the perfect tool for that. I never dreamt that I would win it, all I wanted was to gain some experience and meet new people.

You’ve stated that you enjoyed the task at Broker Expo the most, the contestants were split into two teams and had to convince brokers on a stand that they had the best campaign idea. Did this surprise you or did it play to your strengths?

The Broker Expo certainly did play to my strengths and it wasn’t really a surprise that it was my favourite task. It gave me the opportunity to meet and talk to new people at some of the top levels of the insurance broking world, which is exactly what I wanted to gain out of the whole experience. I do pride myself on my people skills and this environment was perfect to display those skills. The hustle and bustle of Broker Expo was brilliant, there wasn’t a minute’s down time and the people were fantastic, really hitting home just how great it is to work in insurance broking.

How did the tasks challenge and develop you in relation to your current role and how do you feel they will benefit you in your career going forward?

My current and relatively new role as SME Account Handler, bridging over from dealing with personal lines only, has required a bit of a change in how I work and how I deal with clients. Each task from the Broker Apprentice competition has shown me a different angle on how to look at insurance, not least the board game task where we had to adapt dealing with insurance for 10-11 year olds. It was challenging to prepare for both dealing with young children in one task and then dealing with industry experts in the next task but it has certainly taught me that every client is different and has their own needs that need to be considered.

Going forward I hope to utilise some of the contacts I made within profession for help and guidance through my career and with day to day problems I may encounter. As I continue to learn and develop my technical skills, I am undoubtedly going to come across some problems I have not encountered before and I plan to access the network of experts that I have met throughout the process to assist with my own personal growth.

The candidates were all of a high calibre. What did you gain from working with the other apprentices and how can you pass on your experiences with other young people coming into the industry?

I cannot stress enough how good the other candidates were, it is brilliant to see other young brokers coming through and it reinforces my enthusiasm for insurance broking. Across all 6 of the finalists there was a wide range of experience and differing job roles that provided different viewpoints to learn from. It was invaluable working with all of the candidates on the various tasks and bouncing ideas around, getting pointers and assistance on ideas but also reassurance from my peers that my own understanding is heading in the right direction.
For young people looking to join the insurance profession, I would certainly encourage them to get out of their comfort zone and try different things, spend a day in another department, go and spend a day at one of the insurers offices. Everything is a learning opportunity, try to broaden your horizon and whichever area of insurance you settle with, they are all connected so a good grasp on the workings of all areas will stand you in good stead.

Have your future personal development goals changed following your apprentice journey and winning the Insurance Age Broker Apprentice 2016?

My personal development goals have not changed as a result of winning the Broker Apprentice as I have a very clear vision of where I want to be and what I have to do to get there, it has cemented and reassured that I am already on the right path. It will however give me the tools, through mentoring and professional qualifications to progress along that path even faster.

What would be your advice to young people who are considering entering next year’s Insurance Age Broker Apprentice?

DO IT! You have to give it a go. If you are lucky enough to make it into the final then just be yourself, let your natural talent shine through. Above all else it is a fantastic experience, it is very well organised and lets you access both people and places that you might never get the chance to again, it really is a once in a lifetime experience.

Craig has since joined the Insurance Institute of Newcastle Young Members Committee and is also studying towards the CII Diploma.

Photo: Mike Crane, Managing Director of the sponsors LV=, with Craig Younger.