Industry Guide

Insurance Careers for Young People

Protect people, businesses, and futures in an industry that values sharp minds and clear thinking. Insurance offers accessible career paths with strong progression, from apprenticeships to specialist roles in risk, data, and client advice.

Open Budi

Insurance: explore where it could take you

What the industry covers

What kind of people thrive here?

This kind of work is usually analytical and data-led, client-facing, guided by regulations and standards and focused on solving practical problems. It can suit you if you like work that has a clear purpose, gives you room to grow, and connects your strengths to real tasks.

Attention to Detail

You notice small things and care about accuracy and quality.

Communication

You can share ideas clearly and listen to other people.

Problem Solving

You stay curious and work through challenges step by step.

Customer Focus

You think about the experience, needs and expectations of customers.

Key industry insights

Look beyond the obvious employers

Local organisations, SMEs, charities, public bodies and specialist employers can offer valuable first steps, practical experience and clearer routes to responsibility.

Pay varies by role

Experience, responsibility, qualifications, employer and location all affect salary. Treat published figures as a guide rather than a guarantee.

How to start your insurance career

1.Explore your strengths.

Think about whether you prefer creating, making, fixing, analysing, organising, supporting people or working with technology.

2.Research realistic pathways.

Look at apprenticeships, college courses, traineeships, volunteering, entry-level vacancies and local employers.

3.Build evidence.

Use school, college, work, volunteering or personal projects to show what you can already do.

4.Learn the language of the sector.

Read job descriptions, follow current developments and notice the skills employers mention repeatedly.

5.Apply before you feel perfect.

Employers do not expect beginners to know everything — they look for potential, reliability and willingness to learn.

Roles and career pathways

Where people often start

Opportunities include claims, broking, underwriting, customer support, data, risk, compliance, actuarial routes and cyber or climate-related insurance. Apprenticeships can make the sector more accessible.

Where it can lead

Insurance helps people and businesses manage risk when things go wrong. Roles can include claims, broking, underwriting, customer support, risk analysis, data, compliance, operations and specialist areas like marine, health or technology insurance. With experience, you may move into specialist, supervisory, management, consultancy or leadership work depending on the pathway you choose.

What employers value

Helpful skills include numeracy, spotting patterns and solving problems, communication, attention to detail, helping customers and risk assessment. You do not need to be perfect at all of them straight away — these are strengths you can build through projects, volunteering, part-time work, courses, apprenticeships or simply practising.

Skills employers value

Attention to Detail
Communication
Problem Solving
Customer Focus

Trends and useful preparation

Why this section matters

This field is changing. Showing that you understand what is happening — and that you are already taking small steps to prepare — can help you stand out.

Trends to watch

Market picture: Vacancies appear to be lower year on year (around -11.8%). That is roughly 4k fewer vacancies than the comparison period. The latest vacancy estimate is still about 30k. A dip does not mean there are no jobs — it usually means being more targeted about applications, training and local opportunities.
Opportunity areas: Opportunities include claims, broking, underwriting, customer support, data, risk, compliance, actuarial routes and cyber or climate-related insurance. Apprenticeships can make the sector more accessible.
Things to be aware of: Things to be aware of: the sector can seem hidden or complicated at first, and rules, data and detail matter. It can be a strong fit for careful problem-solvers.

Useful preparation

Prepare an example of careful decision-making, customer support, data work or problem-solving.
Show that you understand insurance is about helping people manage risk, not just paperwork.
Mention accuracy, communication and trust.
If you have researched claims, broking, underwriting or cyber/climate risk, bring that into the conversation.

Your next step

You do not need to be a finished expert to belong in insurance. Start with curiosity, build evidence through small experiences and explore the pathway that fits how you work best.