Accounting

Your route to a dream career as a CPA

It’s not boring and it opens doors to many other jobs – that’s according to Kolbie Lespere, Ranisha Simmons, Ciara Rego and Jahlae Outerbridge, who sat down with Your Future to talk about their path to become a CPA.

Question: Tell me about your educational background and how you came to be a CPA? I graduated from Mount Saint Vincent University in 2018 which is when my CPA journey started. I began at Mount Allison University. I began in sciences and wanted to be a pharmacist. I pretty much did a full year of science classes at university, and I just didn't really enjoy them, so then I switched to the psychology and commerce programme. I took all the introductory business classes, and accounting was just the one that I liked the most, so that's how I declared my major, and went through the programme that way. I wanted to be a math teacher, but I had a career day where a representative from KPMG came down to speak about accounting. From there on, that's when I made my decision to be an accountant, so I graduated from MSA in 2014, and then I went over to Florida to start my accounting journey. I then started my CPA in 2020. I am a graduate of Georgia State University where I received my Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. I was selected as the 2016 KPMG Scholarship recipient which allowed me to participate in their Summer Internship Program and enter their Graduate Programme as a member of the Tax practice.

Q: Do you have be good at math in order to become an accountant? I don't necessarily think so. We use a calculator for everything. I use Excel for everything, so none of it's mental math or anything like that. I think you might struggle a little bit more with the academic portion of becoming an accountant if you're not necessarily great at math. with Kolbie, we use Excel every day, but it also depends on whether you're in audit or industry. Maybe when you actually do private accounting, you might need to do a little bit more math. I actually work in tax accounting, so we don't really do that much math. All of our math is pretty much formula driven in Excel.

Q: How hard is it to qualify as a CPA, Studying for the CPA is a huge requires a lot of consistent studying. I tell being consistent. That's the hard part, so

Q: What is a typical day as an accountant like? I just switched over to insurance at KPMG, so I audit insurance companies, which is new for me. I came from enterprise, which mostly looked at local retail businesses, so now I'm looking at the insurance side. I like the challenge. Each something new with each company that you audit. I enjoy learning more about operate. Right now, it's 8am to 5pm, but in our busy seasons, it can go until midnight or 1am. I'm in the enterprise department, so I do local businesses. One thing I really enjoy about being in this department is the people I work with. Because we're such a small department it's a great opportunity to learn.

There's also smaller clients that we work on, where you can get the opportunity to do it by yourself or with the manager, instead of with another senior associate. That's what I look forward to, speaking to my colleagues and having the opportunity to work on something new mostly every other week.

In the enterprise department we do local companies, so we get to see into companies we work on, and because our companies are much smaller than the insurance companies, we do get to see beginning to end. I pretty much do tax accounting and compliance for individuals as well as trusts and estates, so the bulk of my work our individuals and our trusts, and a lot of research. What I really like about my job

is that the rules are constantly changing. The regulation of tax is constantly changing, so you always have to be on top of the changes. It's a typical 8:30am to 5pm. When we get busy, it can be up to around 12 hours a day, just depending on your workload and the clients. I work on what I enjoy about it is that even though I may be on the same client, I'll see working on constantly changes. It keeps it interesting and keeps you on your toes.

Q: Will your skills be in demand as an accountant? What do you think the future holds? that they've audited. There's a lot of opportunity there. One really good thing that I like about auditing is that you get to see so of the company. You can see if there's something you really enjoy. If you do want to leave public accounting, you can look for a position that coincides with what you really enjoyed auditing, so it gives you a way to see what you do like in terms of industry as well. prepare tax returns for individuals. I would say that I have been looking to relocate to side of tax, the corporate side and not

Q: What would you say to other young people who are considering becoming accountants? There's a lot of stereotype around accountants being very boring, but I actually think it's the opposite. The big Deloitte all have a really nice work hard, with your colleagues at 4pm on a Friday when you're not busy and things like that, so you do get rewarded for the hard work that you do. Accountants really aren't boring. balance. There's a lot of opportunity in accounting in Bermuda, so I would I'd say that getting your CPA is that the return on your investment is worth it. It comes with a lot of respect, because people understand how hard you work to get your CPA designation, and it as far as getting promoted, relocating, and even going into industry. If you do want to get your CPA designation, just go for it. I'd say if you're interested in accounting, but you are scared and fear the journey of becoming a CPA, I wouldn't let that stop you. There were many times during studying and getting the internships, and just doing research on accounting when it becomes overwhelming. But honestly, if you keep your mind to the end goal, which is a designation that can literally get you to any job, that's what kept me going.

Accounting, like Colby said, everyone wants the same thing. They enjoy doing the same thing, so you're going to make friends who are colleagues. I think that's a good thing, just so that you can get along and enjoy the job. As much as it's daunting and tiring, you still have those support systems around you.

The US CPA, Canadian CPA and the ICAEW Chartered does not require a university degree. • US CPA - the education requirements vary depending on what state you register in. At the minimum you need a bachelor's degree in accounting and some states require 150 academic hours which requires a master's degree. must travel to the US to sit the exams at a prometric testing centre. • Canadian CPA - you must have an undergraduate degree. If your undergraduate degree doesn’t include all the required subject area coverage i.e., not an Accounting degree, you can enrol in the CPA preparatory courses. CPA Bermuda work directly with the Atlantic School of Business to assess the students’ degree and ensure they obtain the required

education coverage. The CPA Canada programme can be completed in full in Bermuda. • UK ACA – an undergraduate degree required - depending on your degree your education will be assessed to determine any exemptions. There are options to start studying for some of the modules whilst you are at university. More information on ACA exams can be found on the ICAEW website - www.icaew.com • ACCA – ACCA has a range of entry points to the programme.

If you are an employer or student, you or your trainees can progress their journey towards ACCA membership learn more about the various programs, you can visit the

ACCA website at www.accaglobal.com/acca-registration

College. 292-7479.

Career Opportunities at EY

Two young Bermudian accountants share the good, the better and the best about their careers at EY

Christina Joynes to EY through one of its summer internships and she hasn’t looked back since. The 23-year-old enjoyed it so much, she went back the following year and then successfully applied for EY’s Gil Tucker Bermuda Scholarship.

The former Saltus and BHS student went to High School in Memphis, Tennessee and then on to Howard University in Washington D.C. where she completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration in accounting followed by a master’s degree in accounting. She began her full-time career with EY in September 2020 there are any changes in regulatory standards that a company is following, we help them get up to standard by the time they are audited the next year,” explains Joynes.

In addition to her ‘day job’, Joynes is is tough, but she feels well supported. “It’s a lot of time and dedication” she they understand and respect that. I’m still getting my work done, but they allow me time to study when I need it.”

One of the main reasons Joynes was and the way they made her feel valued, even when she was an Intern. “I got this sense of family and community from “Everyone has a level of respect from top to bottom”.

To anyone else considering a career in accounting, Joynes emphasises that it doesn’t matter if you don’t know what you want to do and encourages them to internship was in Audit and then FAIT didn’t want to do either of those things so I tried FAAS and I really enjoyed that. Just be open to trying new things.”

Personally, Joynes is looking forward to making the most of the opportunities available to her. “I would like to grow with as many connections as possible.”

Jesse Marshall UK, Jesse Marshall moved home to join EY in Bermuda in January 2020. It was the middle of busy season and only a working remotely, but it was, he says, “a great option for me”.

The 27-year-old Audit Senior began his education at Saltus before going to boarding school and university in the UK. He studied Oceanography at Southampton University then accepted a job at BDO where he stayed for three years and earned his ACA (Associate ACA is the UK equivalent of the CPA.

“In the UK they’re very open for people from non-accounting backgrounds to do accounting because it gives them a glad I didn’t do accounting at university as they teach you very well on the job.”

Marshall moved back to Bermuda to join EY because he was ready for Bermuda it seems like you get a lot more responsibility so you’re doing a bit more managing. You’re basically in charge of getting the testing done. The actual work done.”

Coming back when he did (right before the pandemic) means he has missed the “socialising and camaraderie” he would normally be able to enjoy with his colleagues. “Right now, we would normally be in an audit room with four or good atmosphere when you’re working hard and meeting deadlines.”

“One of the reasons why I wanted to come back to Bermuda was to focus more on insurance and reinsurance. It’s company every day. EY is very helpful in giving us training and allowing us to take

Marshall says the best part about working for EY is the people and the fact that it’s a “young, vibrant company.” He emphasises that an accounting career at EY “creates a lot of opportunities for you. You can go very far in accounting. You’re not pigeonholing yourself in one industry or type of role. I got into accounting because I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but knew accounting opened a lot of doors.”

Be a game changer. Start your career journey at PwC

Since 2008 PwC’s HeadStart programme has helped to produce the next generation of Bermudian leaders, through co-op, internship, scholarship and associate programmes.

Danielle Moniz is a Manager in the captive insurance team who joined PwC’s HeadStart internship in 2011 and has become a leading voice in the industry taking part in events such as the Bermuda Captive Conference and WeSpeak Bermuda. Caitlyn Lawrence was PwC’s Peter Mitchell Scholarship CPA exams.

Tell us about your experience in the HeadStart programme: internship I was exposed to on-the-job training almost immediately and was able gave me experience in multiple industry sectors. When I worked with our captive team, I decided that is where I wanted to start my career. For the following summers, I was able to work exclusively with the captive team alongside senior industry professionals and I began building my personal brand. When selected as the Peter Mitchell scholarship recipient, I received a graduate contract which included experience in the HeadStart programme and an opportunity to join PwC full time. To know I had a job lined up once I returned to Bermuda, allowed me to focus on school and removed that added layer of stress in looking for a job post university.

You recently passed two of your US CPA Exams. Tell us a little about the process: I am currently three quarters of the way through my US CPA exams, with plans to sit the last one in June. During the summer of 2020, I sat two exams which required me to travel to the US on two separate occasions during the pandemic. The HeadStart team gave me the option to delay my CPA progression if I felt uncomfortable travelling, but they welcomed my decision to go and ensured I was supported every step of the way. I had always felt encouragement and support from my team, ensuring I

Tell us about your experience taking part in industry opportunities: I have been involved with the Bermuda Captive Conference for four years now and it has been an amazing experience. I was able to meet and develop relationships with accomplished industry professionals, I have sat on and chaired committees and I have been a panelist on multiple sessions. I have also been involved with WeSpeak, an organisation helping women project their voices. My colleague, Jennifer Masters, had been to a WeSpeak bootcamp and suggested I get involved and I am so glad I did. Joining WeSpeak taught me that I am not alone in my fear of public speaking, even the most experienced individuals get nervous. fostering a coaching culture. Every individual who joins PwC is assigned a career coach who will provide professional and personal guidance Our daily jobs are focused on coaching even in this virtual world. I personally have regular video chat catch-ups with my team members where we walk through the task at hand and discuss what needs to be completed. Through these coaching moments I am able to explain the broader impact of their work on the overall job and also develop their technical knowledge. PwC strives to ensure a supportive and inclusive culture, which I have felt during my time with the there are unavoidable busy times of an Associate Role Model award which recognises someone "who has gone beyond their normal duties to enhance the value PwC places on their people.

KPMG in Bermuda congratulates its newest CPA’s

TKPMG in Bermuda congratulates (Chartered and United States) on the successful completion of their accounting designations. joined KPMG in Bermuda’s Private Enterprise department in January degree in Accounting from Mount Saint Vincent University. Ranisha says:

“It is a blessing to have successfully completed my CPA CA designation has come to an end, and I look forward to the new opportunities it will bring. Through the challenges, obstacles, and moments of self-doubt, I’m thankful for the unwavering support I received from KPMG, family, and friends.”

joined KPMG in Bermuda’s Private Enterprise department as an intern in the summer of 2016. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA Masters’ degree in Accounting from the University of Tampa. Ciara is also the 2015 KPMG Scholarship recipient. She previously worked at KPMG on three before being employed full time as a member of our Private Enterprise audit team in September 2019. Ciara says: ended – I have successfully completed process. From the moment I found out to the moment I found out my results, my emotions were a rollercoaster. I can say that I am extremely relieved and my family, friends, colleagues and KPMG for providing support during the process of accomplishing something for my career and my future that was extremely draining, but so worth it at the end.” is a member of our Tax practice, joining KPMG in Bermuda, as a Graduate Trainee within the Financial Services audit department at the with a 4.0 GPA Bachelors’ degree in Accounting from Georgia State University. Jahlae is the 2016 KPMG Scholarship recipient. Jahlae says: successfully completed all four parts exam. It was a tough journey, but this made the entire process worth it. Thank you to KPMG for its investment in my education and career.” Bermudians that are in various stages of achieving the CPA CA, CPA US and years KPMG has seen eight Bermudians achieve their CPA professional designations.

For more information please contact: Wanda Armstrong, Senior

A Law Career Offers Many Paths to Choose From

For entrepreneurial, agile and ambitious young Bermudians, a career

The legal industry has long been a key part of Bermuda’s local and international business sector. graduates need to secure a pupillage year programme during which you learn experience, before being called to the Bar. pupillage programme, dedicated to fostering young talent and helping each individual on the path to success in their own chosen area of law. The pupillage includes four-month rotations in each of three core practice areas – corporate, litigation and private client & trust – work so that they can make the choice that suits them best.

In autumn 2020, three young lawyers completed their pupillage at Conyers and were called to the Bermuda Bar: Aleisha Hollis, Amber Wilson and Hailey Edwards. All three have chosen to pursue their careers in corporate practice. Within industry sectors, such as insurance and reinsurance, investment funds, aviation associates can build expertise in the sector that interests them most. “Conyers has one of the most diverse practices on the island,” says Amber Wilson. “Through the rotations during the pupillage, you’re given the opportunity to experience working in all conscious of individual’s preferences and tailors the programme to give you time to explore your own areas of interest in greater depth.”

Aleisha Hollis says she found easy, due to the support from both junior and senior lawyers. “They provided me with guidance, wisdom and the necessary tools to learn and prosper as a pupil entering the legal profession. Regular check-ins and the advice which was shared made the experience more meaningful.”

Transitioning from pupil to associate Edwards, but she felt well prepared. “Conyers is particularly good at allowing associates to gain experience with big, your career,” she says. “I think it’s unusual to have such opportunities.”

Aleisha adds, “Due to the quality of the pupillage programme, we have been hand basis with clients, and take the lead on matters. Our role as international the laws as a tool to address challenges and drive results for our clients. The practice of law is constantly evolving, and at Conyers we are determined not just to be at the forefront of developments, but to set the pace and lead the way.” www.conyers.com

The sky is not the limit

It could be the start of your career with the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority

The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority is a safety regulator surrounding Bermuda. While this may not be at the forefront of career considerations, it is important for Bermudians to know that there is a great opportunity to get involved in this very important aspect of aviation.

The pathway to safety regulation isn't a straight path and can vary based on your end goal. As a basic guide, you will require a secondary education with a strong focus on maths, physics and chemistry, a post-graduate relevant experience before coming back to Bermuda.

Completion of overseas training and experience is crucial for regulatory roles. Some of our safety regulators have completed their experience with various Air Forces, at International

Standard business roles within the BCAA, such as human resources, joined BCAA as an Airworthiness received an Associates in Arts (Business Administration) from the Bermuda College.

“Since joining BCAA I’ve taken administrative courses to assist me with my day-to-day duties. Aviation is an exciting and busy industry to be a part of, especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every day is an opportunity to learn something new. I look forward to being able to complete more training with other sections within BCAA and continue to learn about how they all tie together.”

Roles are posted to the Career section of the website www.bcaa.bm/ careers, it is always worth checking to see what talent the BCAA is looking for.

Lejoy loves to be by the water, but her focus and passion is in the air. She’s built a great working relationship with Inspectors, Aircraft operators and maintenance organisations around the world. Always a same day response and often a same day turnaround, she’ll help you get the inspection or paperwork you need, whenever and wherever you need it! Find out how we can help you with your aircraft registration needs at bermudaaircraftregistry.bm

Connect with us

Your Future, The award has an annual value of $25,000, tenable for up to four years. The 2020 recipient, Jaiden Furbert-Jacobs, is currently by Butterfield studying actuarial science at Penn State University. With a passion for mathematics and its analytical and problemsolving qualities, Jaiden is

Benergy systems and assist her in completing keen to pursue a career in committed to prepare herself to apply her Bachelor’s degree in his favoured subject and supporting the her engineering skills to a engineering from Mercer become an expert in the communities in which it career in Bermuda’s energy University in Alabama. operates and investing industry. have learnt that in order to in the future of those Chanah says, “I’m pleased Undergraduate Scholarship see dreams come to fruition, communities. That’s why, that Bermuda is taking is awarded annually to we must conquer our fears steps towards a sustainable a Bermudian student and invest in ourselves and provides an undergraduate commencing, or already our minds. Success is always and a post-graduate be done. I intend to assist pursuing, a degree overseas earned, never given.” scholarship to assist in the creation of clean at an accredited university. Do you believe you students who are pursuing energy solutions, as well This Scholarship has have what it takes to be degrees at overseas colleges as the reduction of non- and universities. renewable energy and help since 1978 in honour of scholars? With application usher in a more sustainable deadlines fast approaching, scholars from among future for the Island.” former Rhodes Scholar, Sir now is the time to act. hundreds of deserving Interestingly, Chanah is For full details regarding applicants, using criteria distinguished career in scholarship requirements, including academic having received the Sir Harry public and business life was dedicated to the betterment Application deadline is need, character, leadership Scholarship in 2018 to of Bermuda and Bermudians. Friday, 26 March, 2021. qualities, civic attainment and involvement, and achievements in noncurricular activities, including the arts and sports. Graduate Scholarship is available to one student per year selected from jurisdictions around the world who is studying in a discipline related to the preservation and improvement of island environments at an accredited institution. The award has an annual value of $25,000, tenable for up to four years. The 2020 recipient, Bermudian Chanah Bremar, is enrolled in the sustainable energy MSc programme at the University of Glasgow. Her goal is to expand her knowledge of sustainable

How to find and apply for scholarships

There’s no question about it — going to college is expensive. However, there are literally hundreds of scholarships available to Bermuda students to be found on bermudasholarships.com. Happily, most scholarships today take financial need into consideration, which is all the more reason to apply online in order to be considered for awards. Whether you are studying Math or Art, Science or Dance, Accounting or Horticulture, scholarships are offered for every discipline.

bermudasholarships.com allows you to conduct a search to find scholarships you are eligible for without even having to log in. Once you have decided which scholarships are of interest, you can go ahead and create a profile by registering, after which you can log in at any time from any PC or laptop wherever you are. You will be asked to complete various fields including education, academic achievements, extra-curricular activities and community service. You will also need to upload various documents required by award providers, such as essays, references and tuition costs. The essay is a very important part of your application. Many award providers will ask you to write on a specific subject so be sure to research. A well-written essay is critical for your application to be considered so be sure to have it vetted for accuracy and content by your teacher, a friend or family member. It is such a shame that some applications are not considered because a deserving student provides a personal statement instead of an essay on a specific topic.

Apart from uploading various documents, you will also be required to provide a school or college transcript. Bermuda students should request their school to upload an official transcript to their profile. This ensures confidentiality and the transcript can only be viewed by award providers who receive your application.

Overseas students should request their college to send an official transcript directly to the bermudascholarships.com administrator for uploading to their profile. The site also contains other useful information such as Interview Tips, There is even a section for parents and educators and several other links that may prove helpful.

You can shortlist scholarships you wish to apply for, then once you are satisfied that you have uploaded all required documents, you click ‘Submit Application’ and will then be asked to upload various documents. Once done, you can confirm that you wish to submit your application by pressing ‘Okay’ and will then receive a notice advising that your application has been submitted successfully. You will also receive an electronic acknowledgement from the award provider(s).

A number of scholarships have deadlines of March 31st/mid- to endApril, so hopefully you are already on track in researching scholarships, uploading documents and short-listing. If not, you still have some time left and are encouraged to start the process as soon as possible in order to be considered for scholarship funding for the coming academic year.

Most students eagerly look for summer employment. Please be sure to check out the Student Employment section as this lists many summer internships and jobs as well as entry-level positions for graduates.

Please address any questions or queries to

BFIS’ five steps to careers in (re)insurance

The Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies explains how it helps students from the classroom right

The Bermuda Foundation for Insurance Studies (BFIS) was founded in 1996 by industry leaders who wanted to ensure that a talented pool of Bermudians would always be available to the industry. BFIS has succeeded with this mandate by Guidance, Mentorships, Scholarships, Internships and Job Placement. This would not be possible without ongoing support from numerous donors to whom we are most grateful. With their support we will be celebrating our 25th Anniversary later this year – thank you.

Every year, members of our Schools

GOING TO COLLEGE? GOT $$$??

Search our website and apply online for all the scholarships you are eligible for.

Outreach Committee visit all high schools to talk to senior year students about careers in the (Re)Insurance industry. Students who express an interest in learning more are then invited to BFIS Lunch and Learns where industry professionals chat to the students about their careers and give them personal insight into the industry.

Following this, each February BFIS Mentor Network Committee members organise a series of speed networking lunches where industry professionals — actuaries, lawyers, accountants, underwriters, brokers, IT professionals and other — chat one-on-one with students. This gives students a further opportunity to talk to professionals who be interested. The sessions are run over a period of a week each February during students’ lunch break.

Schools Outreach Committee members normally visit schools again early in the year to give presentations on navigating bermudascholarships. research scholarships and write essays. Committee members guide the students through the scholarship process application process, giving pointers and best practices when applying. BFIS usually awards between 10 and 15 scholarships annually. All students pursuing careers in the (re)insurance

Some of the 2020 BFIS scholars

Bermuda Foundation For Insurance Studies FOR YOUR FUTURE

Job Search

Internships

Scholarships

Mentorships

Career Guidance

S U C C E S S

Thanks to our donors, BFIS has been providing educational funding and other opportunities for students interested in careers in the insurance industry since 1996.

industry are strongly encouraged to apply. Studies covered include Risk Management, Actuarial Science, Economics, Math, Finance, Accounting, Business, Law, IT and Environmental Science and other subjects will be considered if they tie into the industry.

BFIS arranges for all their scholarship recipients to be matched with a mentor from the industry who will give guidance and advice as their studies progress. However, we are more than happy to provide mentoring to any other industryfocused student who approaches us. These mentor/mentee relationships generally work really well and many the scholar’s career.

Apart from this, BFIS Mentor Network Committee members organise a number of networking lunches and other educational opportunities for students throughout the year during summer and winter vacation breaks. These are great opportunities for students to meet and chat informally with industry professionals, ask questions and gain knowledge.

On an annual basis BFIS organises short, intensive Intro-to-Insurance internships in the insurance markets of Atlanta, Bermuda, Chicago and London for a total of 16 students who have completed at least one or two years at college/ university. These are highly sought the bermudascholarships.com website (though it is uncertain whether they will COVID concerns).

Finally, BFIS assists students with resume summer employment. We also help graduation.

CONCLUSION As can clearly be seen, the BFIS 5-step programme can take students from the classroom right through university education and into rewarding careers in the industry.

To learn more, visit the BFIS website:

Why not become a Dentist in Bermuda?

• Hands on Career in Science and health • Help people • Great work-life balance • Be your own boss and own your own business • Have a stable income • You will always be learning • Use Lasers, 3D printers and high-tech mouth scanners

How do you become a dentist in Bermuda?

• Get good grades in high school and be a well-rounded, caring person • Do a 5 Year Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree in the U.K. or • Do a 4 year General Undergraduate Degree followed by 4 year Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree or Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree in the U.S.A. or Canada • Ideally get some work experience abroad after you graduate in an intern or residency program

Other equally rewarding careers that are needed in Bermuda:

• Hygienist • Dental Assistant • Dental Technician

Bermuda’s largest scholarship fund

The Association of Bermuda Bermuda’s largest academic and needs based scholarship fund for Bermudian students. For more than 44 years its scholarship programme has supported promising students at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels leading to careers in Bermuda’s international business sector and supporting services.

The ABIC Education Awards are supported by more than 50 member companies looking to encourage young Bermudians to join the international business sector. In the past decade the programme has given more than $6M to 200 Bermudian students pursuing full undergraduate or post-graduate degrees at accredited colleges or universities abroad. • Scholarships are awarded on the basis • Approximately 60 applications are received from Bermudian students each year with 18 – 20 students being

awarded undergraduate two-year scholarships valued at $30,000 and one post-graduate scholarship valued at $20,000. • In 2010 ABIC partnered with several other scholarship providers to launch a comprehensive online scholarship resource, www.bermudascholarships. com that gives students the ability to

search for available scholarships and apply directly online. • On the 35th anniversary, ABIC announced a new scholarship, the

Shernelle Outerbridge Memorial Award sponsored by Zurich for an additional $15,000 for undergraduate business or • In 2016 ABIC partnered with PwC to provide a separate annual award to support a Bermudian student excelling in accounting at the undergraduate or post graduate level who can studying accounting at an accredited international university. • Each year PwC provides the shortlisted students with an interview training workshop prior to their interviews. • Each awardee is assigned a mentor who will provide one-on-one support, knowledge sharing, perspective and wisdom that will help students with their education and career choices. The submission deadline for the ABIC Education Awards is April 9th, 2021.

CELEBRATING 44 YEARS

OF INVESTING IN EDUCATION

Global reach starts locally with the help of an ABIC Scholarship.

Available to students pursuing studies related to international business. Selection based on financial need and academic merit.

Undergraduate scholarships are valued at $15,000 per year for up to two years. Graduate scholarship is valued at $20,000 for one year.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: APRIL 9, 2021

Please apply directly online at bermudascholarships.com. For more information contact Greta Peters at 441-293-4600

or gpeters@abic.bm.

Association of Bermuda International Companies Education Awards abic.bm

Top 5 reasons why you should consider a career in insurance

The insurance industry is a the local economy, being one of, if not the largest, private employers in Bermuda. ABIR members alone in 2019 contributed more than $829 million and employed as much as 1,576 full-time

Today’s local workforce of international insurers is mostly Bermudian – as much as 72% of Bermudian based on our recent survey. In 2019 ABIR members provided 57 internships and many placed recent graduates in training programs. The local insurance industry has a support for training and development

Insurance may have a reputation for being traditional and conservative, but that’s changing fast. Today’s companies continue to recognise the need for diverse young talent. ABIR strongly supports and encourages diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of the insurance industry. We believe that promoting and supporting inclusiveness and embracing diversity is a business imperative, good for our industry and helps to make better businesses and better places to work.

The Bermuda insurance industry is a leading participant in the global initiative, Dive In – The Festival for Diversity and Inclusion in Insurance. The Bermuda festival has tackled race, LGBT, multi-generation and other topics in creative and honest ways and is open to any interested person. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the challenge that the industry has given itself to focus on inclusivity, teamwork, and broadening its worldview.

There is already a wide range of opportunities within the industry. From underwriting to claims handling, to marketing and with the continued growth of “insuretech”, choices are expanding into new, technologically intelligence, strategic analytics and data.

The industry will be looking to hire recent graduates with focus in computer and data sciences, engineering or even and capability. During a time of uncertainty brought on by a global pandemic, the insurance industry proved its resilience with marginal unemployment. Employers in this sector are expected to increase employment over the next year in such areas as technology, underwriting opportunity to persons with not only insurance skill sets but also transferable skills from other industries.

The challenge of recruiting new talent has been cited by several local insurance executives over the last few years. With the rapid advances in technology in the insurance industry the skills are not developing at a pace rapid enough to keep up with demand. Companies will have to start to look beyond the requirements and employ more innovative techniques when recruiting. Finding talented individuals with strong base skills that can be grown is key. in recruitment has not eased with the COVID-19 pandemic but in fact has increased slightly.

The Garden Club of Bermuda is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year and has a long history of annually providing scholarship funds to of horticultural and agriculture. Its Scholarship Committee meets each year in June to consider the applications generated by the Bermuda Scholarship website, so if you are currently studying or are considering applying to study in these

CHUBB AWARDS

Chubb believes it has an important role to play in creating a potential talent pool for Bermuda, in preparing students to enter the workplace, and in nurturing young talent to become the business and community leaders of tomorrow. Chubb is committed to providing learning and development opportunities to young Bermudians within its insurance and reinsurance operations. Its educational programmes support students wishing to pursue careers in international business as well as those pursuing careers in technical and service industries that are critical for our community. These support but also on-the-job work experience and professional learning opportunities. Chubb has supported hundreds of students professionally and academically through various educational initiatives, including the Robert Clements Scholarship, Bermuda College Education Award, Chubb Select Internship and summer employment positions. For more information about Chubb’s programmes and how to apply, visit www.chubb.com/bm/students or www. bermudascholarships.com or contact

WIN AN AQUARIUM SCHOLARSHIP

In 2009, former Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) president, Mr. Robert Scholarship with the goal of encouraging the next generation of stewards for our environment.

The scholarship provides educational opportunities for Bermudian students studying environmental sciences at accredited institutions. To be considered,

Moving the world forward

That’s what AXA XL Scholars are working on doing and we are proud of them for it. If you are interested in pursuing a career in Actuarial, Claims, Risk Management or Underwriting, consider applying for an AXA XL Scholarship. • Visit Bermudascholarships.com to apply • Deadline for submissions is April 2, 2021 • For further information or questions, please contact

Lucy Monkman at 292 8515 or lucy.monkman@axaxl.com

Eligibility • Bermudian or PRC Holder • Grade Point Average of 3.0 or above • Acceptance into university or college

Criteria

• Academic excellence • Community commitment • Strong character and leadership skills • Cultural, athletic or other interests

Scholarship • Full tuition, room, board and related expenses at an accredited institution for a maximum of 4 years Adriana Burchall 2020 Recipient

St. John’s University United States Studying Actuarial Science Conor Sinclair 2019 Recipient

University of Notre Dame United States Studying Actuarial Science Matthew Oliveira 2018 Recipient

Loughborough University United Kingdom Studying Business and Finance Hailey Quig 2017 Recipient

University of Western Ontario Canada Studying Business Management & Organizational Studies

GREEN FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

Peter, Alexander and Andrew Green are pleased to announce that we will be doubling our scholarship amount to students studying subjects considered important to Bermuda’s future. All recipients will still receive $5,000 but those studying fields considered important to Bermuda such as medicine, nursing, hotel and hospitality management, finance, insurance, solicitor, etc, will receive an additional $5,000 a year.

Applications can be found at: www.greenfamilyscholarship.bm

We would like to remind candidates that they must apply for the Knowledge Quest Scholarship in order to be eligible for the Green Family Scholarship.

The Green Family Scholarship will be awarded to ten students each year who will then receive $5,000/$10,000 annually for a period of no more then four years towards education and tuition costs to an accredited college or university abroad, subject to receipt of satisfactory grades at the end of each academic year.

Applicants, who must have demonstrated financial need, shall have first applied for a scholarship through Knowledge Quest, a registered charity, inorder to be eligibile for the Green Family Scholarship.

Applications for the Knowledge Quest scholarship must be received by April 30th. For applications, please visit the Knowledge Quest website at www.knowledgequest.bm For further inquiries, please contact Knowledge Quest at: knowledgequest@logic.bm

The Green Family reserves the right to determine which degrees are considered important for Bermuda and the right to modify the terms and conditions at any time.

annually, to students pursuing law degrees that lead to admission to the Bermuda Bar.

A MOUTH-WATERING OPPORTUNITY

Bermuda Waterworks produces a utility water supply by desalination. The company also produces bottled water via distillation. “If you are interested in engineering,” says a spokesman, “why not consider a career in the century.”

of a bachelor’s degree or working toward a master’s or doctorate in their chosen consider applicant interest, commitment towards protecting the environment, achievement. Scholarship holders will be encouraged to accept practical internship opportunities during vacation periods at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo or other conservation institutions either in Bermuda or overseas to gain appropriate practical experience. programmes support the national science curriculum for thousands of Bermuda students, from pre-school to college-level. BZS conservation initiatives, supported by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), include projects to protect endangered sea turtles, skinks, coral reefs colleagues worldwide to share research vital to international conservation yet another way BZS hopes to encourage and support young generations of Bermudians to become stewards of our natural environment.

LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP

on matters of Bermuda law, and is committed to investing in Bermudian students wishing to pursue a career in