Dean Audicho

Division: Technology & Operations - Customer Technology

University Background: Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business (Majoring in Marketing) at UTS.

Can you describe a day in the life of your rotation? (What have you learned, what have you got involved in etc).

My day usually consists of a number of meetings with different business stakeholders where I either provide updates, negotiate requests, or ask questions in order to clarify the requirements for a particular piece of work. Then using an online documentation tool called Confluence, and a workflow management tool called Jira, I would record these requirements in a clear and concise way and assign work tickets to the developers for them to begin delivering the expected technical solutions. One of the major projects that I have worked on during the graduate program is called Serenity. This project aims to streamline IAG’s digital infrastructure in order to optimise our customer’s digital experience. As this is an organisation-wide project that delivers change across multiple platforms and teams, I have learnt how to use a number of new collaboration tools such as Miro and Microsoft Whiteboard, whilst also refining my design skills through a program called Figma.

Outside of my normal role, I am a member of the Hackathon Working Group which is responsible for setting up and facilitating a two-day event that encourages people from across the business to get together and work on their own innovative and creative ideas that will add value to the organisation. This opportunity has allowed me to further develop my communication and prioritisation skills as members of this group span across Australia, Singapore, and New Zealand, yet we all efficiently work to achieve the same goal.

What is the culture like at IAG?

My time at IAG so far has been full of learning and professional development. The teams that I have worked in and the people that I have met along the way are all very skilled individuals who are passionate about what they do. IAG fosters a very supportive and open culture which means that everyone is treated equally and with respect. Regardless of a person’s role or hierarchical status, I have found that IAG’s people are always willing to lend a helping hand when needed.

How did IAG respond to COVID-19 and how were you supported by your teams while working from home?

I think IAG’s response to the pandemic was both effective and swift. The organisation encouraged people to work from home if it was safe to do so and made arrangements for those who couldn’t. Throughout the pandemic, IAG contributed a monthly assistance payment to each employee to offset the increased use of utilities and internet at home. IAG also focussed heavily on keeping their people connected while working from home which is why a number collaboration and communication tools were either introduced or enhanced to facilitate the remote working situation.

Are the working conditions flexible at IAG? Is there an expectation that the 9-5 is worked? Is there flexibility with working from home/office arrangements?

IAG places a heavy emphasis on facilitating a healthy work-life balance for its people. They do so by supporting flexible working arrangements for those with different professional or personal commitments. Although the traditional 9-5 working schedule is not enforced, there is an expectation that a person gets their work done to the best of their ability in a timely manner.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

During one of the graduate orientation days, my fellow graduates and I were each given a Violin and we’re taught how to play a song as a group. Although we started off out of sync, as we continued to practice together, we eventually played the song well and without any help from the facilitators. This experience will stay with me as I continue on my journey through IAG as I believe this is where we forged the most valuable connections with each other as colleagues and friends.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

Don’t let your degree define or limit your professional journey. Be brave and step outside of your comfort zone by taking on a task or applying for a role that might be new to you. Although this seems intimidating, you will be both surprised and proud of how much you learn and grow during this experience within IAG.

At IAG our purpose is making your world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this as part of the Graduate Program?

From day one, graduates are treated as equals within a team. This means that you are included in on the work being completed by your team in a meaningful and significant way. As long as you are doing your job to the best of your ability, your actions will both directly and indirectly make the world a safer place for our customers, communities, and stakeholders.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Learning, growing, and interesting.

Georgia Sanders

Division: Group Corporate Affairs

University Background: Media & Communications studies/ French studies

Can you describe a day in the life of your rotation? (What have you learned, what have you got involved in etc).

So far, I have spent two rotations working in Employee Communications, specifically the Content & Channels team, and I am just now rotating into External Communications.

My main role in the Content & Channels team was to manage the design aspects of our Intranet. This would include updating our homepage each day with internal news stories, key dates, upcoming events and more. A typical day would start out by checking our Content Hub for all the information that needs to be published on the intranet that day, followed by checking my meeting schedule and going through my emails. I would also then check the emails have been sent to the intranet inbox, which people contact when they have an intranet related question or request.

The rest of my day really depends on what the team is working on at the time. My usual tasks would vary from designing assets for internal campaigns to working through data and analytics for our internal communications. It is a huge role and can be very challenging at times, but it has allowed me to learn so much about the innerworkings of IAG as well as gain invaluable skills around communication, design and problem solving.

What is the culture like at IAG?

The culture at IAG is incredibly friendly and supportive. Questions and curiosity are always encouraged, and I find that people will generally go out of their way to include you and help you out when needed.

How did IAG respond to COVID-19 and how were you supported by your teams while working from home?

IAG had a very proactive response to COVID-19. In the early days of March 2020, we were doing test runs of work from home with several teams at a time and by the end of March almost the entire company had moved to work from home. During this time, we were provided with a one-off payment of $400 (pre-tax) to set ourselves up with necessary equipment, such a desk, an external screen etc. Following this we were also given a monthly payment of $40 per month to help cover the costs of working from home every day.

The payments were really helpful but what was even better was the amount of support and understanding our teams showed to one another during such a difficult time. We organised online catch ups wherever possible to make sure everyone still felt connected and we made a huge effort to share our workloads across the team to make sure we could be as flexible as possible. On top of that, the company also supported me to work from home in Perth, where I had recently moved from, so that I could be with my family during lockdown.

Are the working conditions flexible at IAG? Is there an expectation that the 9-5 is worked? Is there flexibility with working from home/office arrangements?

Work conditions are definitely very flexible at IAG. In my experience, it is expected that you be mostly available during the hours of 9-5, however there is no expectation that you will be glued to your desk all day every day and I know that plenty of people have flexible arrangements so that they can leave early or start late when necessary.

Most teams now have a dedicated ‘collaboration day’ where the entire team will go into the office, so that you can have at least one day of working together per week, but for the rest of the week you can generally choose to work from home or in the office as you please.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

My most memorable experience from the Grad Program was definitely learning to play the violin as one of our orientation activities! I can’t say I mastered it, but it was really fun to give something completely different a go at work.

From my role, my most memorable experience was flying to Melbourne (before the days of Coronavirus) to visit the Melbourne office and participate in our Digital Workplace Learning Expo. I had so much fun and got to meet some of our amazing Melbourne team.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

Ask lots of questions. It can be really daunting trying to pipe up in the middle of a meeting to ask what on earth everyone is talking about but just remember that everyone understands that you’re new and asking questions is the best way to quickly find your feet in your new team!

At IAG our purpose is making your world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this as part of the Graduate Program?

Almost every decision we make at IAG is influenced by our purpose. I feel like I have contributed to this in many ways through my role. For example, I’ve been involved in building and maintaining sites such as our Coronavirus Hub, where we provide updates about our response to Coronavirus as well as information for how to stay COVID safe at work. I’ve also assisted with internal campaigns around equity at work, domestic violence, and International Women’s Day, all of which I believe are incredibly important when it comes to creating a safer workplace and safer community.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Challenging, surprising, interesting

Mallika Bhoopasamudram

Division: Data - Strategy & Innovation

University Background: Bachelor of Science (Advanced)

3. Can you describe a day in the life of your rotation? (What have you learned, what have you got involved in etc).

I am currently in my final rotation in the Data Discovery team. My days are always changing depending on what I am working on, but a regular day begins with checking the Vine, looking through my emails and planning my to-do list for that day. Following this, the rest of the day depends on what working is pending in the different projects that I am involved in. A major project that I have been involved in is the Serenity project which looks to harmonise our policy systems. Through my rotations in Data, I have developed the capability to leverage the potential of EBG and EDH to gain valuable insights about data and improve decision making in different contexts. I have gained exposure to and improved my technical skills in programming languages, such as Python and SQL. Additionally, I have developed various soft skills such as communicating with different teams, engaging internal and external stakeholders, and managing relationships.

4. What is the culture like at IAG?

The culture at IAG is positive and welcoming. All of the teams that I have worked in thus far have been very receiving and supportive. It is a great place to work!

5. How did IAG respond to COVID-19 and how were you supported by your teams while working from home?

IAG had a swift response to COVID-19 and there was timely communication in regards to moving back into the workplace as new developments occurred. There was an increase in the number of team meetings and town halls held to improve communication and connectedness while working from home. As a company, IAG introduced many initiatives, such as lunch time talks and financial help to establish a working from home arrangement, to ensure employees felt connected and supported.

6. Are the working conditions flexible at IAG? Is there an expectation that the 9-5 is worked? Is there flexibility with working from home/office arrangements?

The working conditions at IAG are very flexible. All of the teams that I have worked in have promoted working flexibly to suit individual circumstances and achieve a work life balance. There has been no strict expectation to work from 9-5. There is also a great deal of flexibility as we transition into going back to the office to suit each employee and their needs.

7. What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

The most memorable experience of the Grad Program has been getting to know all the different graduates in my cohort and doing meaningful work that impacts several stakeholders and business goals.

8. If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

It is essential to conduct research about IAG, its purpose & values and understand why you want to work at this company. It is also important to understand the different divisions at IAG and which division you want to work in depending upon your interests and skill set.

9. At IAG our purpose is making your world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this as part of the Graduate Program?

I believe that IAG’s purpose is intrinsically incorporated into the organisation. I feel that I have contributed to this purpose with the different projects that I take part in as they are focused on streamlining internal processes, delivering better and faster services to our customers and developing our automation capabilities to improve the customer experience and reduce complaints.

10. Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Unique, rewarding and positive.

Nellie Gao

Role: Operational Partnering Graduate

University Background: Bachelor of Commerce (Major in Marketing and Management)

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation? (What division you are in, what have you learned, what have you got involved in etc)

I am in the Australian Division under Enterprise Finance and Operations. Currently in my first rotation, I am working in the Productivity Enablement team.

Since the start of my rotation I haven’t had a single day that has been the same – which is what makes work so exciting. On a regular day, I would come into work and spend some time in the morning checking and responding to emails followed by team meetings. Following this, the rest of my day depends on which projects or business assessments I am working on and what stage they are at. This has allowed me to work with a range of people and teams both external and within the organisation, and this has given me valuable insights into how an insurance company operates day to day. Additional to this I have learned a range of skills from communicating with different teams, managing relationships, and from automation.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Stimulating, fun, rewarding

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

There has never been a day where I have felt unsupported. The culture at IAG is very warm and welcoming and my team, managers, and fellow graduates always ensure to make time for me when I need to ask a question or seek help with anything.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

I have so many memorable experiences in my role, but from the Grad Program it would be from one of our induction activities at the beginning of the program. In this activity, we were all randomly assigned to teams, and each team was given a separate part of a painting to complete. We were given instructions on what colours to use – but the catch was that we were to mix these colours ourselves. To keep the painting looking like one artwork rather than separate pieces of random art stuck together, we had to use our communication skills and teamwork to delegate colours and coordinate our work. It was so rewarding at the end when our painting was revealed to see how well it all fit together. As this was on the first day of our grad program, it really set the scene for the later months and showed how like-minded all the graduates were and how well we could work together.

Also – can’t forget lunch with the grads every day on level 10 😊

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

When you’re searching for a grad role – it is very easy to fall into the mindset that you need to be a certain kind of personality to get a job. My advice would be to just be yourself! At IAG there is such a diverse range of people, and everyone has something unique to offer in their role! Everyone is highly valued in their teams for their unique contribution and the culture at IAG is very encouraging of these diverse perspectives.

At IAG our purpose is making the world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this within the community?

IAG’s vision to make the world a safer place is embedded in every aspect of the organisation. I feel that I have contributed to this through my role in many ways. This largely involves working on projects which are focused on streamlining organisational processes so that claims can be lodged faster, injuries or accidents can be assessed more efficiently and effectively, and employees can work less repetitive and manual tasks, freeing up their time to focus on the customer’s needs and how to make the world a safer place!

Andy Nguyen

Role: Analytics – Natural Peril Pricing Team

University Background: UNSW B Actuarial Studies / B Economics (Financial Economics)

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation? (What division you are in, what have you learned, what have you got involved in etc)

I’m in the Customer Labs division, with my first rotation in Analytics – Natural Perils Pricing. I have been very lucky to be in a rotation where I am communicating to multiple stakeholders, e.g Group Natural Perils, AD Pricing, Reinsurance Underwriting, AD Finance, and lots more. This is because my core work has been focused on developing the Peril Data Portal (PDP), which is a centralised pricing engine for all things Natural Perils related. This project has already been going on for more than a year and there are many different stakeholder expectations. In terms of the nitty gritty, the work involves a lot of data cleaning, programming and project planning. I also get my fair share of analytical work and presentations which constantly challenge and develop my skills for the workplace.

It’s not all work though! There are also lots of Grad workshops and activities planned every month which keeps things interesting.

Finally, the Grad cohort keeps my social life pretty busy. We hang out during lunches, have coffee breaks together and there’s always after-work events planned.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Exciting, Challenging and Supportive

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

There is an extensive support network at IAG. I have a rotation buddy, a graduate buddy, my manager and all the friendly and approachable colleagues around me.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

When I had to give a presentation in front of everyone in Customer Labs Analytics! I had only been in my rotation for less than a month and my understanding of the presentation material was still a bit shaky. However, to learn is to step out of your comfort zone. After delivering the presentation (which I thought went horribly wrong), I was overwhelmed by everyone’s supportive comments.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

Instead of thinking what skills you can bring to IAG, think about how IAG can support your dreams and ambitions. Dream big, live passionately and be Closer, Braver and Faster – IAG wants you to be successful, so lose any self-doubt during the application process you may have!

At IAG our purpose is making the world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this within the community?

IAG believes in being Closer, Braver and Faster. This helps facilitate the mission to making the world a safer place. I believe I was able to help in delivering great initiatives for IAG’s DAG (Data & Analytics Guild) community by volunteering to design it’s new logo and provide assistance at its Analytics Photoshoot event.

Miki Takashiba

Role: Group Technology Graduate

University Background: Bachelor of Commerce/Science

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation? (What division you are in, what have you learned, what have you got involved in etc)

A life as a Group Technology graduate will differ from day to day (like most grads). Most days I come to the office between 8:45-9am, make some tea, check the Vine (Intranet) and catch up on my emails. I will then have a stand up to go over any thing that has happened since our last stand up and the plan for today. It depends on the day because some days I have a lot of meetings and other days I will be mostly working on my task for the project that I am in. I will usually have lunch with the other grads and then it’s back to work. There are often company-wide events happening throughout the week for example for Customer Love Week there was a series of panel talks and presentations which anyone can sign up to and learn more about. I have learnt to take advantage of any opportunity that comes your way even if you don’t particularly like it at the start. You will learn new things along the way and might even find something that will interest you in the future.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Challenging, Unique, Positive

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

There are many people who are there to support you throughout the grad program including the Graduate Program Partner, your manager, your team, buddy and fellow grads.

If I have a problem, there is at least one person who I can talk to and everyone is super supportive of you. I feel that people in this company do care and will go out of their way to make sure that you are getting the most out of the grad program.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

Having a great group of grads has definitely made the grad program experience 10 times better. We have lunch together and go out for drinks on Friday, so they make me have a great grad program experience.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

Make sure to do some research about IAG, the divisions you want to work in and why you want to work at IAG/in that area.

Also, before the grad program, make sure to enjoy some time off and relax because you won’t be as free when you start working!

At IAG our purpose is making the world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this within the community?

In my first 2 months I had the opportunity to be a part of a social incubator program tackling issues of social inequity, in particular homelessness. During this program we discussed and came up with ways to tackle this social issue and since then have been a part of a group which regularly catches up to brainstorm ways to make these people’s world a safer place. As you can see, it’s not only in your role that you can contribute to IAG’s purpose, there are many opportunities outside of your role as well.

Nathan Leong

Role: Digital Graduate - Developer

University Background: Electrical Engineering & Finance

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation? (What division you are in, what have you learned, what have you got involved in etc)

Currently in Customer Recover Journeys team, which involves building customer facing applications, and also internal applications. These applications assist customers in being able to track their claim, make a repair inspection booking, and also make a claim during catastrophic events such as hail storms.

This role has been heavily focused on building technical competencies in but not limited to writing Javascript, best practices for code writing and managing when working in a team of developers.

A typical day would involve a morning stand-up meeting to discuss what we have done, what we are working on, and any discussions regarding assistance or problems we are facing. Then the large portion of the day would involve writing code to develop new applications or create new features for applications we are maintaining. Occasionally there are meetings to discuss plans for future work, or discussions with other stakeholders in the projects we are working on.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Insightful, Enjoyable, Supportive

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

There are multiple levels of support from direct team members, managers, grad buddy, and many other colleagues who are always more than happy to provide any assistance or advice.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

The Amazing Race program that the Digital division ran for half a day which allowed everyone in digital to bond with colleagues through challenges involving running around the city solving riddles and puzzles.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

Be open minded, although digital wasn’t my first choice, I am now very glad I landed in digital and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

At IAG we contribute to making the world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this within the community?

Working in Customer Recover Journeys, we have helped streamline the process of making claims, and booking repairs. Doing so has improved customer experience and faith, that we will be there when they need us.

Xu Ran (Mary) Li

Role: Satellite Graduate

University Background: Bachelor of Actuarial Studies/Bachelor of Commerce at UNSW

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation? (What division you are in, what have you learned, what have you got involved in etc)

I was given the opportunity to rotate in the Satellite (Coles Insurance) portfolio team and pricing team, each 9 months.

My first and current rotation is in Satellite’s pricing team. The major tasks that I am currently working on are weekly renewal reporting and month end claims reporting. I have developed not only technical skills and but also communication and collaboration skills through liaising with other teams such as P&L, Claims, Finance etc. I have also received lots of help and guidance from my colleagues and my rotation manger in completing these tasks and they have really helped me to improve.

Apart from that, I also did some analytical work such as data extraction and manipulation, pricing model etc. Through the experience of working on a wide range of tasks, I am able to gain a wider range of knowledge and form a bigger picture of the business.

Overall, I have learnt a lot from my work and I have also had great pleasure working with other team members. I truly feel that Satellite has provided me a great working environment where I can maximise my potential.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Rewarding, Supported, Enjoyable.

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

The support network at IAG has been great and I feel supported all the time. My colleagues and manager have helped me a lot not only on my work but also on my personal development. There is always someone that I can talk to, either work or non-related issues. I feel great care and support from other team members and I have also received lots of valuable advice from them which helped me to grow. The team culture at Satellite is great and I have always enjoyed all kinds of teaming activities which enables me to form closer relationships with others.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

My most memorable experience is the 2-day Satellite summit where all the people from Sydney and Melbourne office got together and collaborate in doing a wide range of activities. I got the chance to meet everyone in the bigger team and interact with people that I haven’t been working with. There was also an evening Pop-up picnic at Barangaroo Lawn where everyone met up, chat and play games! This event is most memorable to me as it really enables me to meet, network and develop a closer relationship with everyone in the bigger team and fit into Satellite’s unique team culture.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

One piece of advice that I would give to the applicants is to show more of yourself throughout each stage of the application process, whether it is resume, video interview, AC etc. Be confident and show not only the skills you have but also your unique personality and how you believe you are the best fit to the role! It is always the best to do things that you are really passionate about, so remember to do some research initially regarding which team/role that you are most interested in and the kind of work you wish to be involved.

At IAG our purpose is making the world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this within the community?

Through the time working at IAG and within the general insurance industry, I have realised the importance of meeting customer needs, providing them with the best protection and helping them to manage risks and this has now embedded in every piece of my work which ultimately contributes to maximising product value to customers.

Penina (Nina) Iosefa

Role: Group Technology Graduate: Business Analyst, SIAM, Infrastructure

University Background: Bachelor of Arts in Information Systems Management and English Literature

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation?

I have taken lead in all aspects of the BAU release process within the SIAM team so my main job within my team has been to facilitate relationships between our team members and other IAG employees to complete enhancements on the ServiceNow platform for all IAG employees. I have also been a part of the service definition and mapping project which has been really interesting and challenging. It has required constant growth and learning the technical skills to help me better understand the needs of my team members.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Challenging, exciting, and unexpected

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

I think the grad program has been supportive in the fact that we have so many opportunities to learn more. The workshops have been very insightful, and the changing rotations allows us to experience IAG through a number of different lenses.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

I think, more than anything, it’s the support from the other graduates. When you begin the program, everything takes a bit to get used to and having that support group cheering for you in the background makes the transition easier and fun. Also, being top of the graduate’s pool table competition helps to lighten the mood lol.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

Relax and be yourself. I was really anxious about starting the program and competing with other graduates, but once you get to know your cohort you realise that everyone is feeling exactly the same lol.

At IAG our purpose is making the world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this within the community?

I have recently begun working with the Women in Tech initiative and feel proud that I am contributing to the empowerment of women in technology and future girls that aspire to be just like them.

Raymond Lau

Role: Actuarial Graduate

University Background: Bachelor of Actuarial Studies / Commerce (Finance) at UNSW

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation? (What division you are in, what have you learned, what have you got involved in etc)

I am currently in the Internal Capital Modelling team within Group Actuarial. In this role, I utilised the capital model to analyse the adequacy of the company’s capital position. I also had the opportunity to gain exposure in the Insurance Liabilities team, where I analysed IAG’s liabilities and helped with quarterly valuation reporting. Both these roles have provided me a greater understanding of IAG as a business as well as a taste of what it’s like to be an Actuary.

Describe in 3 words your experience so far:

Happy Happy Days

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

IAG has provided me with friendly, knowledgeable managers and colleagues who have taught me everything I know about the job and are more than happy to help whenever I have a problem. As a graduate, we also have the privilege of having a Buddy, who will give you advice, answer questions, and drink a lot of coffee with you.

What has been your most memorable experience on the Grad Program so far?

My most memorable experience has been meeting and forming friendships will all the graduates this year. Everyone is so fun and friendly, and truly makes me look forward to going to work every day.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad Program, what would it be?

Crack some jokes in the interview stage to lighten the mood.

At IAG we contribute to making the world a safer place, how do you feel you have contributed to this within the community?

I bring snacks to my team’s weekly meetings, creating a happier working environment, ultimately leading to a safer community.

James Brodnik

Role: Analyst in Customer Labs/Group Actuarial

University Background: First Class Honours in Mathematics and Finance from the University of Wollongong

What is it like as part of your rotations: What division were you in and what did you learn/get involved in? Typical day?

As an Analytics/Actuarial grad, we do four 6-month rotations across a variety of areas, of which I have completed two and have just started a third in reserving.

I started in personal lines pricing, where I maintained and developed rShiny monitoring apps for our home and motor portfolio performance, before working on our rate strength projections. This was a perfect way for me to get a grip on the insurance industry given I had no insurance background, and also to develop my technical skills further.

I then worked in a new team, Customer and Growth Analytics, which allowed me to work with a variety of other teams within IAG including customer futures, 1-to-1 marketing and growth. Working in this team really helped me understand the importance of planning projects and effective presentations, and I really enjoyed the variety of projects I undertook, ranging from customer value transition analysis to customer satisfaction modelling and major claims events.

There is no typical day per se, the work is constantly changing, and I am always actively encouraged to constantly learn and develop myself and challenge standard ways of thinking. Generally, I do a lot of coding and data manipulation, planning and collaborating with my team and investigating problems and hypotheses. On top of that, there is still time to enjoy the company of those around you and got to the gym at lunch time!

Describe in three words your experience on the graduate program so far…

Challenging yet rewarding

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

The support network is phenomenal at IAG for grads. Those around you with more experience are more than willing to help you no matter what the problem, and you never feel like you’re a burden asking questions. I feel as though my colleagues genuinely care about my development and my personal wellbeing, and are willing to support me with whatever endeavour I’m interested in. Furthermore, the work-life balance at IAG is amazing and your work never gets in the way of your life, no matter how busy you may be. I can’t praise IAG enough for how great their flexibility is – if you’re after a great job yet still want to maintain your social life then this is the job for you.

What has been your most memorable experiences you have had on the Grad program?

From a working perspective, I found that some of the projects I worked on as a part of the Customer and Marketing Analytics team were truly rewarding. The work that I undertook had a large impact on a wide variety of stakeholders, and it was a great feeling after putting all that effort in, developing my findings and forming my own explanations of why things were happening, to have a positive influence on the actions of multiple teams, despite having less than a year’s experience.

The 90 Day Challenge was also a very rewarding experience. It’s not everyday that you can present your own work to the CEO of a major company, especially being fresh out of Uni!

I think that a memorable experience that many people neglect is the social side of working at IAG. I have been privileged to have met and have worked with some amazing people, been involved in external events representing IAG, and truly enjoyed my year working here.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Graduate Program, what would it be?

Make sure you find the balance between being relaxed and being motivated. It’s important to be proud of your abilities and to let everyone else see them, but there’s no need to stress. I’ve found that just being myself got through the application process and has gotten me a long way when I began working at IAG.

Wing Luk

Role: Analyst – Customer Labs/Group Actuarial

University Background: Actuarial Studies/Commerce at UNSW

What is it like as part of your rotations: What division were you in and what did you learn/get involved in? Typical day?

My first rotation was in Customer Labs working in the Customer and Growth team within Analytics. As a new graduate, this was an excellent opportunity to work with other divisions within IAG as we strive to better understand our customers through analytical work.

For my second rotation, I moved into the Personal Lines – Pricing team within Customer Labs, which is a more technical role compared to my first rotation. Coming from an actuarial background, I was able to see first-hand the inner workings of how insurance products are priced and gain a more holistic view of insurance products in general.

My current rotation (only recently moved in!) is the Insurance Liabilities team within Group Actuarial. As I come from an actuarial background, I’m hoping to gain invaluable insights and learnings about actuarial processes and its applications within IAG. I’ve so far learnt heaps of concepts from my colleagues relating to reinsurance arrangements which I’m keen to apply soon in practice.

Describe in three words your experience on the graduate program so far…

Engaging, Supportive, Enlightening

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

The graduate program has provided us with the opportunity to experience different areas within IAG, whilst also allowing us to develop professionally. So far in my first year, I have had the opportunity to work with many colleagues who don’t hesitate to provide guidance to others.

What has been your most memorable experiences you have had on the Grad program?

My most memorable experience was the amazing race day event that my graduate cohort participated in when we first started. Being several days into our new roles as graduates, we split up into different groups and raced around the city with many mini game events along the way. I found this to be a great bonding experience and allowed us to form strong bonds with each other before we split off into our various rotations/teams.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Graduate Program, what would it be?

Stay calm and try your best!

Kartik Kundra

Role: Pricing Graduate – Satellite

University Background: Actuarial Studies student, with a major in Finance and a minor in Business Economics at UNSW. I had previous experience working in insurance risk, but IAG Satellite has opened my mind to the intricacies of insurance, and how an insurance business runs.

What is it like as part of your rotations: What division were you in and what did you learn/get involved in? Typical day?

My first rotation was as a P&L Analyst in the Portfolio team at Satellite. I was introduced to how an insurance business runs, ranging from Top Line growth (New Business and Renewals) and Bottom line (Claims, Expenses). It gave me an overall view of the business and I was able to provide valuable inputs in weekly and monthly meetings with Coles. This not only helped me in understanding and explaining data but aided me in developing strong communication skills and stakeholder relationships. I was also involved in a Budget development model from scratch, seeing how all the facets of the business create a profit.

I’m currently a Pricing Analyst in the Product and Pricing team, where I have been involved in Natural Perils, seeing how policies are priced at a technical rate, and diving deep down into what goes into creating that magical quote number at the end of the process. Recently, I have been introduced to IAG’s pricing capability and software and are looking to develop new ways that can improve the current process we have.

At Satellite, every day is different, which makes it even more rewarding; there’s always something new to learn and conquer. I begin my work day with e-mail skimming, where I assign myself the tasks that I need to get through the day, on priority levels. Throughout the day I’m working, attending meetings, or just figuring out what to eat for lunch out here in Pyrmont! The day usually winds up with a table tennis session or a board games night just to relax ourselves.

Describe in three words your experience on the graduate program so far…

Challenging, Educational & Fun

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

Everyone involved, including my managers and colleagues, to the graduates and buddies, have been great, providing support whenever and wherever. At IAG, if you need help with anything, require assistance of any kind, there’s always someone who can lend a helping hand. The caring nature really comes through in all employees at IAG, with strong study support arrangements and a highly flexible work lifestyle.

What has been your most memorable experiences you have had on the Grad program?

Working here and being part of the first graduate intake at Satellite has been memorable in its own way. There have been countless challenges to overcome, but things that stand out are the conferences we’ve had, bringing together all employees from Satellite for 2 days, travelling to and working in the Melbourne for a piece of work with Coles, and the 90-day Business Case Challenge.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Graduate Program, what would it be?

Just be yourself. The graduate program provides you with a multitude of opportunities for learning and working in different areas of the business. It’s important to be confident and to strive to the best of your ability.

Rosa Wang

Role: Analyst

University Background: Actuarial Studies/Science (Statistics) at UNSW

What is it like as part of your rotations: What division were you in and what did you learn/get involved in? Typical day?

When I was in Analytics, I spent a few months working in the ‘Vulnerable Customer’ stream of Customer Futures. We were exploring whether we could use regular customer data to identify and support customers experiencing domestic violence. I got to explore some messy data, learnt about different analytics techniques (topic modelling, LDA, PCA…), started to code (Python, R, SAS…), and learnt to bring all this together to tell a story. We hot-desk, and the flexible working style meant that I was sitting somewhere different every day. I learnt a lot about communication as well, since we were working in a cross-functional team; how to interact with people in different areas of the business.

Describe in three words your experience on the graduate program so far…

Valuable, varied, supported

What has the support network at IAG been like for you as a Grad?

Genuine; people really care about your growth. There are various avenues for support, depending on what kind of support you need. There’s tones of support from the grad-program team (Rachel - Grad Manager, Grad Buddies etc.), about all things IAG and general career related. Technical wise, my managers and team buddies have all been incredibly patient and encouraging and go out of their way to help me understand things.

What has been your most memorable experiences you have had on the Grad program?

We’re incredibly lucky that the program allows us to rotate across teams! One of the teams in my rotation was Melbourne based, so I asked if I could move down to Melbourne for a while and ended up working there for 2 months. One day, our team went to lawn bowls, and then we went and got banh mi after. It was super cute, and there was a lot of banter; it was really fun.

If you could give 1 piece of advice to a student applying for the Graduate Program, what would it be?

I couldn’t think of a way to make this not sound cheesy, but here’s the most honest advice I can think of: be yourself. Interviews are as much about companies finding a cultural fit, as a skills fit. So honestly, be authentic; let what you say reflect your character, your values, your motivations.