Every part of how we do business and how we work has been impacted since the start of the pandemic, including how apprentices, are hired or on-boarded. But luckily, due to innovations in technology and the agility of the insurance industry, it doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to take on an apprentice and do so effectively in a remote or hybrid environment.

We’ve included some practical tips below which should help employers when taking on an apprentice, but much of these can also be applied to any new hire and should provide a solid start to ensure they hit the ground running.

Starting a new job can be overwhelming at the best of times, but throw a global pandemic and working remotely into the mix and new hires can feel on the ‘back foot’ before they even ‘set foot’ in the virtual door. We reached out to our apprentices who started the programme in 2020 to find out more about their experiences and they all agreed that the more structured the approach to their on-boarding the better. So here’s our guide to what your new hires first week should look like.

Every part of how we do business and how we work has been impacted by the pandemic – and this includes how employees, including apprentices, are hired and on-boarded. The first introductory meeting with the team will now likely take place over zoom, and catch ups over coffees have been replaced with virtual handshakes – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible to take on a new hire and do so effectively. In fact, like every other aspect of the pandemic, it’s about changing the approach and looking at new ways to bridge the gap and to ensure a smooth transition.

Sitting an exam can come with a lot of stress. With all the distractions of this past year, plus moving from an exam hall to an online format, some members have reached out to say that they feel that they aren’t as prepared as they want to be.

So we asked our Member Services team to give us their advice based on what they believe are the most common errors being made, in order to help you better prepare, have an enjoyable exam experience and get the results you deserve!

The ‘Earn and Learn’ programme has 100 apprenticeship places available and is encouraging prospective employers and apprentices to get in touch now

Continuous learning is one of the most important elements of career progression. Here at The Insurance Institute, we always encourage our members to work on their learning and development. In line with this, our Education Team have developed a Virtual Library, giving you access to lots of great industry related content which helps to support your ongoing learning. Plus, it’s all available as part of your existing membership fee. 

With our fifth group of apprentices having started their first year of The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship in September, our CEO, Dermot Murray spoke with Dr Mary-Liz Trant, Executive Director at SOLAS. Dermot chatted with Mary about apprenticeships in Ireland and the great work SOLAS is doing to continuously improve and promote apprenticeships across many industries.

Our offices will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve and re-open at 9am on Monday, 4 January. Limited support will remain available between 10am and 3pm on the 29, 30 and 31 December, to help with any urgent CPD annual submission issues.

Having trouble with submitting your CPD? Check out our CPD help page here.

The Insurance Institute has always been involved in organising the Dive In Festival since its launch in Ireland five years ago. Dive In is truly helping the insurance industry get fit for the future, in our battle for talent, highlighting the case for diverse and inclusive workplaces, and providing practical ideas and inspiration for how to bring about positive change. We are delighted to support the virtual events taking place this year.

The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship is Ireland’s first apprenticeship to award a level 8 honours degree – a BA (Hons) in Insurance Practice.