An inaugural graduate program operated by insurance giant Aon came to a close this month, with six participants earning full-time positions as a result of the initiative.
Eight individuals were originally included in the two-year Launch program, which was created to equip graduates with the skills and experience to reach their full potential.
During the process, graduates worked across four different business units, each for six months, and were given opportunities to tackle real business challenges, work collaboratively and build relationships.
Feedback from one individual who successfully completed the program suggests it’s a challenging two years – but an endeavour that’s well worth the effort.
“This program is not for the faint-hearted. It means getting used to four different managers, four different teams and four different workflows in the space of 24 months. It also means being ‘the new person’ four times over and having to start again from scratch every time you were just feeling settled,” wrote the participant, identified as Sophie.
“At the same time, the program is a fantastic opportunity to have your mind stretched, your skills sharpened, and your knowledge vastly expanded. The program offers a unique helicopter view of Aon that comes with enormous advantages – the ability to draw linkages between teams, apply knowledge from one field to something completely unrelated, and build a network of connections that spans the entire business.”
A representative from Aon agreed the program is challenging but said it’s been designed to help develop future leaders that the company can rely on to drive innovation, rather than simply “providing the basic on-the-job training” required to perform a role.
Hannah, who recently secured a permanent role in the reinsurance solutions business, said the word “exposure” could sum up her overall experience.
“Everything I have learnt during this time can be attributed to my exposure to colleagues, exposure to clients, exposure to the wider Aon network, exposure to the insurance/reinsurance market, exposure to global colleagues, clients and industry professionals,” she said.
“The absolute highlight was the responsibility that was given to me during my time in reinsurance. The adrenalin and sense of achievement I felt being able to deliver a post renewal report to one of our largest clients is something I will never forget.”
Carol, who joined the M&A and transactions solutions team, also praised the experience and said it has been a “great springboard” for her career.
“It was challenging at times, having to adjust to various working styles, but it was extremely rewarding and provided such a great insight to the world of risk, consulting and insurance,” she said.
“There have been many highlights, some of which include forming such a great group of friends, but I think personally, it was finding a line of work with my current team that I had never heard about before but became very passionate about.”
While the six graduates are the first to make it all the way through the program, other intakes are currently underway with an additional seven graduates accepted into the program in 2018 and nine in February of this year.
While the program may have fast-tracked the careers of participants, Aon too is reaping the rewards of rolling out such an initiative.
“The Launch graduate program has really strengthened our employment brand in the market and enabled us to take a structured approach to refreshing our talent pool,” said James Baum, CEO of commercial risk, health solutions and affinity at Aon Australia.
Baum added that, as a business, Aon is under pressure to provide solutions to the ever-changing needs of clients – so having a pipeline coming from the younger generation, is critical.
“By bringing people into our business fresh from university we have the opportunity to not only equip them with the skills that can set them on the road to a successful career but bring their new experiences and blend them with the experiences that already exist for the benefit of our clients,” he said.
“We are absolutely thrilled with the recent hires from the first intake and we are looking forward to continued success.”
