Leveling the playing field for diverse, early career talent

New Yorker Andrew Cascino faced a major obstacle to achieving his dream to work in the data science field. He was struggling to meet the steep financial cost of college, even with his parents contributing, and was wary of accruing considerable debt.

Refusing to give up on his dream and realizing that the traditional college-to-career path wasn’t right for him, Cascino landed a paid apprenticeship with Chubb’s digital team, where he’s engaged in hands-on learning.

Through its partnership with Multiverse, a tech-focused apprenticeship startup, Chubb is creating an alternative path for young professionals like Cascino to succeed in a career in technology. The partnership centers on Chubb’s Global Risk, Analytics and Digital (GRAD) team, where program participants gain experience in such areas as Internet of Things (IoT), enterprise risk and global analytics.

Multiverse is democratizing access to career opportunities by establishing apprenticeships and curricula without first having to pursue a four-year university education program, ultimately providing access to a broader range of career opportunities, including here at Chubb. Multiverse was founded in the U.K. and expanded to the U.S. in 2020 – with Chubb among its inaugural partners.

Chubb apprentices will complete the Multiverse data analytics curriculum over the course of a year, while having the opportunity to participate in boot camps and hackathons.

“This program is fantastic and a new way of thinking about talent,” said Sean Ringsted, Executive Vice President, Chief Digital Officer and Chief Risk Officer. “It allows us to accelerate an alternative path to cultivating young talent while diversifying our workforce.”

The Multiverse apprentice program is one of the ways that Chubb is working to build greater diversity in its workforce and increase access to professional opportunities in tech and insurance. Other initiatives to engage talent include GRAD’s combined scholarship and internship program in the Department of Risk Management and Insurance at Georgia State University, and the Robert Clements scholarship, which provides full financial support to Bermudian university students who are pursuing careers in the international insurance industry.

^“The apprenticeship route allowed me to learn something I’ve always been fascinated by – at no cost,” said Cascino. “I’ve picked up so many technical skills and get real satisfaction out of solving issues. Even better, my manager is so helpful and always takes time out to explain things or point me in the right direction.”

Chubb apprentice Cartomu Kabba, a high school graduate from the Bronx, likes the idea of learning through real world projects. “The apprenticeship is a great way to help me learn because the traditional college-to-career path was much more difficult for me as a person on the spectrum,” said Kabba. “I’ve learned just how important insurance actually is and how it affects many other industries every day. I definitely think I’ll be working more in the insurtech and fintech industries in the future.”

Cascino’s advice to other young professionals? “I think I’ll quote the legendary Yoda to sum things up: ‘do or do not, there is no try.’ There are so many pathways out there it can be overwhelming – but you can’t be afraid. Either you do something, or you don’t. Even by trying it out, you’re doing it. So just go for it!”