When Stephanie Blais’s manager came to see her basketball game, Blais knew for sure AIG Insurance Company of Canada (AIG Canada) was the place for her.
“Since my first day, my manager has been so supportive of me in my learning and development and also in my interests outside of work,” says Blais, a marketing specialist. “With our flexible work policy, I’ve never had a conflict when needing to go to a team practice or a game and it is nice to know the company supports me.”
Blais is also pursuing a diploma in project management. Her manager encouraged her to register for the program and wrote her a letter of recommendation. AIG Canada also reimburses 100 per cent of her tuition fees as a qualifying program.
AIG Canada has also helped Blais develop her skills within the company. In 2018, she was part of the first cohort of AIG Academy participants. AIG Academy is a structured, two-year learning and development program for recent graduates and young employees who are new to the insurance industry.
The program focuses on the development of technical, professional and leadership capabilities and includes training at the company's corporate headquarters in New York City, regional summits and a multi-month challenge focused on developing solutions for strategic challenges the organization faces.
“It was a great opportunity to learn more about the company and about the insurance industry,” Blais says. “It was also a chance to meet people from every business line and from around the world.”
Lynn Oldfield, president and CEO of AIG Canada, says AIG Academy appeals to young professionals looking to master a variety of skills. “Our young professionals are very deliberate in planning for their careers,” Oldfield says. “At AIG, we believe ‘you are the CEO of your own career’ and our young professionals embrace that thinking. AIG Academy is a condensed, fast-forward development program that can be immediately applied on the job.”
AIG Academy exposes participants to almost every element of the organization, which allows them to see what areas interest them for career planning. Participants also develop a network of peers from across teams who are at the same stage in their careers.
For university students, AIG Canada offers a paid internship program during the summer after their third year. Throughout the summer, their manager, mentor and the HR team provide feedback on their performance, which results in many interns receiving offer letters before they return to school for their final year.
“I think it’s a wonderful way to check each other out,” says Oldfield, who acted as a mentor last summer. “We end up attracting a lot of interns who are using their summer employment to test drive different industry sectors. Many who participated last summer told me they had no idea about the variety of roles in the insurance industry and how interesting they are.”
Oldfield says the internship program is also critical to AIG Canada’s diversity and inclusion pipeline, attracting a diverse group of students. “Not just in terms of gender or background, but also in different disciplines. As a mentor, I had a philosophy major, a music major and a finance major,” she says.
“The insurance industry is diverse and feeds curious and thoughtful minds. Your career can go in a variety of directions.”
Blais is grateful for how AIG Canada has helped her build a career in the insurance industry. “They want me to grow as a professional and help prepare me for career opportunities,” she says. “Knowing they want me to learn and grow in the company motivates me to do a great job.”
