CAREER GUIDE MANUAL - INSETA

1 CAREER GUIDE . MANUAL . Choosing a CAREER in Insurance C O N T E N T S. 1 ABOUT THE INSURANCE SECTOR 1. overview 1. Working conditions 1. Employment 2. Geographical distribution of workers 2. 2 CHOOSING A CAREER 4. 3 CAREERS IN INSURANCE 8. Professional occupations 8. Insurance-specific professions 8. Financial professionals 8. Legal professionals 8. Information technology professionals 9. Health professionals 9. Client relations and marketing professionals 9. Human resources professionals 10. Clerical and administrative workers 10. Sales workers 11. 4 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF OCCUPATIONS IN INSURANCE 12. Financial planner 12. Nature of work 12.

2 Personal requirements 12. Education and training 13. Licensing requirements 14. Employment 14. Insurance broker or agent 14. Nature of work 14. Personal requirements 15. Education and training 16. Licensing requirements 17. Professional bodies 17. Employment 17. Actuary 18. Nature of work 18. Personal requirements 18. Education and training 18. Employment 20. Accountant 20. Nature of work 20. Personal requirements 20. Education and training 21. Employment 25. Chartered accountant 26. Nature of work 26. Personal requirements 27. Education and training 27. Professional registration 29. Employment 29. Underwriter 29. Nature of work 29. Personal requirements 30.

3 Education and training 31. Employment 32. Portfolio manager 32. Nature of work 32. Personal requirements 33. Education and training 33. Employment 34. IT technician/support officer 35. Nature of work 35. Personal requirements 35. Education and training 36. Workplace and further training 39. Employment 39. Software developer 40. Nature of work 40. Personal requirements 41. Education and training 41. Employment 44. Insurance administrator 44. Nature of work 44. Personal requirements 45. Education and training 45. Employment 46. 5 LEARNERSHIPS IN INSURANCE 47. What is a learnership? 47. What is expected of a learner? 47. What is expected of an employer?

4 48. Learnership agreement 48. positions may work longer hours. Those in marketing and sales positions 2. work directly with the public and may work irregular hours to fit in with the schedules of their clients. EMPLOYMENT. The insurance sector in South Africa employs more than 100 000 people most of whom are employed by the large insurers. The majority of brokerages are small organisations that employ 20 or fewer people. Most workers in the sector are employed in clerical and administrative positions. Service and sales workers, professionals and managers also constitute a sizable portion of the workforce (Figure 1). 45 Percentage employees 40.

5 35. 30 25. 20. 15 10. 5 0. Contractors/ temporary Clerical and administrative Machinery operators and Community and personal Learners/trainees/students Labourers Professionals Managers Technicians and trade Unknown Sales workers service workers workers workers drivers workers Figure 1 Occupational distribution of workers in the insurance sector GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF WORKERS. Most of the large insurance companies are based in Gauteng and the Western Cape, and, accordingly, the majority of the job opportunities in 3. insurance are in these two provinces. The people working in the other provinces are mainly brokers or agents who sell insurance products to the public.

6 Eastern Cape Western Cape Free State Northern Cape North West Mpumalanga Limpopo Gauteng KwaZulu-Natal Figure 2 Geographical distribution of workers in the insurance industry What am I interested in? 5. What activities do I enjoy most? What kinds of people would I like to work with? What kind of job settings would I enjoy? Values (What are my values?). What would give me satisfaction in a CAREER ? In what ways must I be challenged and rewarded in the job I do? In what type of work environments would I be happy? Personality (What kind of a person am I?). What personal qualities do I possess that will help me in the job I choose? How will my personal style influence my CAREER choice?

7 How will I get along with my supervisor and my co-workers? Step 2: Identify options ( CAREER knowledge). In the course of gathering information and researching careers, you will need to start identifying your options. Questions you should ask yourself are: Z At this point, what are my CAREER options? Z Do I have a strong interest in other types of jobs or careers? Z What other types of jobs or careers should I be considering? Z What is CAREER knowledge? CAREER knowledge entails obtaining knowledge about: Z Different careers Z The type of work in different careers Z The salary and benefits in different careers Z The type of person who will fit the specific occupation Z Subjects required Z Personal characteristics required Information sources that you may use Z Read CAREER magazines/ books/ CAREER supplements in newspapers Z Attend CAREER exhibitions Z Visit workplaces Z Talk to employees Z Talk to employers 6.

8 Z Visit your nearest CAREER information centre Z Contact professional societies Z Browse the Internet Step 3: Evaluate CAREER options Z Once you have completed your CAREER research, you can evaluate each of the CAREER options you have identified. Z Examine the information you already have. Z Identify what additional resources and information you will need. Z Seek and use new information. Step 4: Select one of the options Z Based on the information you have gathered and analysed, you should now be able to choose one of the acreer options. Z CAREER choice is a process - it starts when you are very young and continues into adulthood. Z It is an ongoing investment in who you are and how you will fit into the world of work.

9 How do I make the right choice? (review your previous steps). a) How to make the right choice Z Match your specific characteristics with a specific CAREER . Z Choose a CAREER path that has different options and opportunities. Z Ask yourself why you have chosen that particular CAREER . Z Try to obtain exposure to the CAREER , for example vacation work, voluntary work or an internship Z Is there a demand for your chosen CAREER ? Z Make a second choice - we can all be successful in more than one CAREER . Z Do you have enough information to choose one CAREER option over another? If not, you may need to do more research. 8. 3 CAREERS IN INSURANCE. The insurance sector provides a wide range of CAREER opportunities for managerial, professional, clerical and administrative and sales staff.

10 The entry-level occupations in the sector are listed below. The occupations marked with an * are described in more detail in the next chapter of this CAREER GUIDE . PROFESSIONAL OCCUPATIONS. These occupations require an NQF Level 5 or higher qualification. Insurance-specific professions Z Financial and investment advisors*. Z Insurance brokers*. Z Claims assessors*. Z Underwriters*. Z Actuaries*. Z Financial investment managers and fund administrators Z Portfolio managers*. Z Risk analysts, advisers and consultants Financial professionals Z Accountants* and chartered accountants*. Z Business analysts and consultants Z Financial economists and analysts Z Internal auditors Z Forensic auditors Z Management accountants Z Statisticians Z Financial market dealers Z Economists Legal professionals Z Attorneys, lawyers and legal advisors 9.