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Young Insurance Professionals (YIPs) Australia & New Zealand is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to attracting talented young professionals into the insurance industry, while also supporting those who are already in the field.
What is the history of YIPs?
Founded in Melbourne in 2011, YIPs initially attracted a modest following of a few hundred local professionals who were eager to pursue development and networking opportunities – however, interest quickly grew and the grass-roots initiative exploded.
By 2012, branches were established in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia with chapters in the Northern Territories and Auckland, New Zealand following in 2013.
Now, there are a branches spread across every Australian state and territory, including three locations in New Zealand, which serve more than 8,000 members.
Who makes up the YIPs membership?
While members are generally in their 20s and 30s, older professionals are also welcome as a growing number of people have begun pursuing careers in insurance later in life.
What is the goal of YIPs?
According to the organisation, its mission is to demonstrate that insurance can be a rewarding lifetime career – however, it’s also dedicated to benefiting the insurance industry as a whole by elevating the professionals who operate within it. As such, the organisation runs more than 35 educational events each year, providing a platform for young people to develop their business relationships and to boost their own understanding of the industry.
Graduate engagement also remains a key focus for YIPS and the organisation is actively working on several initiatives to directly engage undergraduates. These include a visible YIPs presence at careers fairs in universities across Australia and New Zealand, discussions with insurers around the promotion of graduate programs and internships, and inviting undergraduates to network with YIPs members in order to gain an insight into the industry.
Who leads YIPs?
In 2018, Katie Stephenson became the first woman to step into the YIPs president role after her predecessor James Smorthwaite stepped down to focus on his career.
“These past 12 months have been a time of professional and personal growth for me and the decision to put myself forward for the role of president was not taken lightly,” said Stephenson, who has held other senior roles within the organisation, including treasurer and vice president.
“YIPs has grown from grass roots to now being the largest, not-for-profit insurance organisation for young professionals in Australia and New Zealand – something we are very proud to have achieved in seven years,” she added.
