James Brodnik

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

Can you describe a day in the life of your current rotation? (What division are you in; what have you learned; what have you been involved in?)
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-1marketing 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 Grad 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 well-being, 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 experience on the Grad program so far?
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 one piece of advice to a student applying for the Grad 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.