The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship Brings an Influx of New Ideas and Modernity to the Insurance Sector

If there is one lesson that the pandemic has taught us it is that there are no certainties both in life and in business. None of us can be sure as to what the future might hold or what might be around the corner – however we can focus on ensuring we are prepared.

Despite the current uncertain environment, it is undoubtedly true that the insurance industry must remain strong whatever the economic climate, however finding the right staff to keep the sector running on an even keel is essential to this.  Our apprenticeship programme, which is now entering its sixth year, has become one of the most important recruitment and training structures the industry has ever known. The programme has enabled insurers to have access to a pipeline of new talent – all of whom are highly ambitious and dedicated to building a career for themselves within the industry. The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship brings with it an influx of new ideas and modernity to our sector, while at the same ensures we are prepared for the future.

In recent years the feedback from employers involved in the programme has been hugely positive and is testament to its success. Many employers have credited the programme with breathing new life into their business, with many also surprised at how easy it was to embed the apprentices into the structure of their organisation. The programme is designed to equip employers with the right staff, who have the right skills and provides the right environment to nurture potential during the formative development stage of an insurance professional. Also, it’s the employers who select and recruit the apprentice and so they can find an individual best suited to their company’s culture and ethos.  We encourage any employers interested in getting involved in the 2021 programme to get in touch now – while September may seem a long time away the sooner you sign up the more support you will receive in finding the apprentice that best suits your business.

While many employers may be slightly nervous about taking on new staff this year – the apprenticeship provides an opportunity to do so within a structured and well defined educational programme. There is also the option whereby existing staff members can sign up – this enables those more junior staff members who are considering doing their APA with a clear pathway to do so. It’s also worth mentioning that the academic element of the programme is 100% Government funded (with 100 places available) – this provides an enormous saving on training and is an incentive which I know many organisations are keen to avail of.

Also worth mentioning is the Apprenticeship Incentivisation Scheme which sees employers who take on an apprentice receive a grant of 2,000 Euro per apprentice hired, with an additional 1,000 Euro provided a year later if the apprentice is still employed in the business. This hugely attractive Government funded initiative is available until the end of June. 

If you’re a prospective employer we would love to hear from you – we’ve already started recruitment for the 2021 programme and while we know it’s a challenging time for everyone, we also know that the apprenticeship has the potential to future proof your business and our industry.