Caitlin Haynes has her eyes opened to the world of technology in insurance when she joined the Digital Minds programme last year. Here the Account Executive at public relations insurance and reinsurance specialists Rein4ce, explains why the year was transformative and encourage others to take part.
When I walked into my first Digital Minds workshop, I didn’t know a soul and was nervous. As one of only two delegates not working in insurance and the only PR in the room, what could I possibly contribute to the conversation with underwriters and brokers?
But at the end of the 12-month course my confidence had rocketed, and I knew that my skills and experience were valuable, and that people like me play a vital role in the market.
After every one of the workshops, talks, and group projects, I went away knowing I had learnt something new, while building my professional network.
It was exciting to be part of a programme that brought together people from all sectors of insurance – from newbies to those with decades of experience under their belts.
Digital Minds, the brainchild of Caroline Bedford, has been designed to help shape the future of the insurance industry by encouraging innovation and creativity, and by sharing human-centred design thinking and digital skills.
Going on the Digital Minds course was one of the best things I’ve done for my career. There’s a strong mentoring element to the course with experts in their fields on hand to share their knowledge and experience.
One of the highlights for me was a session on pitching, which gave me invaluable tips on presentation and on how to not only appear but feel more confident. Katherine Bryant, CEO of The Progress Partnership taught us about the power of influence and the importance of being able to sell yourself.
This course changes how you think and shows you a better way of doing business through, for example, software solutions to reduce double entry data. It gets you to look at the market’s pain points – the difficult and frustrating areas – and see what solutions can be applied. And if there isn’t a solution available, you’re encouraged to try to work one out, or come up with ideas for a start-up.
The programme takes a holistic view of digital transformation, meeting the need for upskilling members of the market but also exploring how the whole culture is changing to tackle contemporary social and environmental issues.
During the global pandemic, we have learnt that it’s more urgent than ever that the market must change if it’s to survive. The way companies do business and interact with people, their reputations and how they behave, are under scrutiny as never before. We all need to be involved in the transformation of the insurance industry to ensure it has a future.
I valued my time at Digital Minds so much that when I was asked to become an Alumni Advisor, I jumped at the chance. I’m thrilled to be involved in a programme that focuses on both the digital and cultural change needed in the market.
This course will not only expand your network, your knowledge of the market and of digital technology, but will also improve your confidence and make you think. It certainly did all that for me.
Author: Caitlin Haynes. If you’d like to connect with Caitlin, you can find her on LinkedIn.
Booking is now open for the next Digital Minds Cohort in October 2021. You can reserve your space here.
