“Senior risk managers have responsibility for next generation”

Airmic's senior deputy chair has urged the association's senior members to help younger risk managers to develop their careers, arguing that it is a win-win situation.

Patrick Smith, who is also chair of Airmic's Learning and Development committee, said that the industry's corporate leaders have a responsibility to encourage their junior colleagues to network and to develop the skills and competencies needed to succeed in the industry.

"It's so important to build a solid foundation for your career right from day one. But when you are just starting out, you don't necessarily have the networks and contacts to know where to start. That is why those of us in a position to do so must help our less experienced colleagues to get the right training and to build their own relationships in the wider industry."

Smith said that this would be beneficial for the industry as a whole. "If we want to encourage young talent not only to join the risk profession but also to stay in it once they're here, we need to offer them excellent career prospects, and key to that is developing them professionally, and technical training is only one dimension of that."

He added that Airmic's fastTrack initiative is an excellent place to start. "I would certainly encourage Airmic's corporate leaders to get any one on their team with less than five years’ experience to sign up to fastTrack. It provides a thorough grounding for a career in risk by offering technical and business skills development within a community of industry colleagues with the same needs, challenges and aspirations".

Smith believes that fastTrack is very much designed to support the personal development obligations of our corporate members. “It can provide a win-win situation: investing in both our junior team members to become increasingly engaged as they develop a well-rounded skillset, as well as the future health of the industry”.

Places on Airmic's fastTrack foundation courses, which will run throughout the year, are now open. Details of the foundation courses including how to book a place can be found here. 

Register now for the fastTrack Forum

Patrick Smith