It’s always been hard for the industry to break away from the perception of an ‘all boys club’. But step by step, the industry is moving in the right direction – it’s now in the hands of a much more diverse pool of people. However, there’s still a lot more work to do.
To attract more women to the industry, we need to promote more female role models who are already carving out compelling careers in the industry and let them explain why it’s such a great industry to be a part of.
So on that note, here are Oneglobal’s very own Christina and Nikari giving their career story and explaining what all the fuss is about.
Christina Allen
Head of Financial Lines, Bermuda
“If you continue to learn, accept challenges, and take the occasional leap of faith, a career in insurance can give you so much fulfilment.”
My career kicked off more than 20 years ago in Canada. I started out as a receptionist at a small broker just outside Toronto, soaking up as much knowledge as possible. After three years, I left with a solid insurance education, fully licensed and ready to move my career on to the next step.
I moved to a large independent broker in Canada specializing in non-profit professional lines business. It was there that I met an inspiring boss who gave me the confidence to take a leap and move to Bermuda. And I’m still here today.
If you continue to learn, accept challenges, and take the occasional leap of faith, a career in insurance can give you so much fulfilment. And, if you’re lucky, take you around the world.
Today’s never the same as tomorrow in this industry. At any given moment, you’re thrust into figuring out complex risks that push you to think outside the box. Problem solving for clients and seeing your ideas come to life gives you so much pride.
The insurance industry has evolved so much over the years and is an incredibly social and supportive industry. And there are so many different departments that come together to complete one insurance contract, which means there’s a long list of career opportunities available to you.
Nikari Furbert
Associate Broker, Financial lines
“…women are continuing to break barriers and smash the glass ceiling – insurance is open to all.”
I’m quite new to insurance – I’ve only been in the industry for two years. Before Oneglobal, I was working at a large business consultancy and came to insurance with hardly any experience. But it’s been great, and I’ve learned so much these past two years.
Broking a deal, whether it be big or small, and completing an order after all of your hard work gives you so much satisfaction – finalising my first deal is still one of my proudest moments. The industry also exposes you to so many different types of businesses and people. It keeps your work fresh, and gives you new challenges to navigate from one day to the next.
There’s loads of room for growth and opportunities to deepen your technical knowledge too. Both on the job and through a number of industry qualifications.
Insurance, for the better part of history has been an all-boys club, but the landscape is rapidly changing. I’m so proud to be part of an industry where women are continuing to break barriers and smash the glass ceiling – insurance is open to all.
Be our next female apprentice
We run regular apprenticeships at Oneglobal for young people to kick start their career in insurance. If you’re interested in getting involved, email Chloe at hr@ogbroking.com and we’ll be back to you when the next round of opportunities open up.