Declan Barrett (pictured) has been awarded the 2021 Cigna Victoria University Actuarial Scholarship.
The 20-year-old is in his second year at Victoria University of Wellington and is studying a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science and Mathematics.
Barrett says becoming an actuary is his ultimate goal saying he’s always been pretty good at mathematics, economics and accounting.
The scholarship includes $5,000 and a three-month internship over the summer of 2021-22 at Cigna.
“The chance to work at Cigna is priceless,” he says. “I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to get a look into the industry, to dig a bit deeper into actuarial science and work alongside some top minds.”
Michael Bartram, Cigna New Zealand Chief Actuary says the company recognises the importance of encouraging the development of new talent within the specialised profession.
“The actuarial profession is a lesser-known career option which suits people with strong technical, numeracy and data science skills who also hold an interest in finance and commerce,” he says.
“Actuaries are in high demand and play a crucial role assessing risks and helping formulate insurance policy for companies such as Cigna.”
Launched in 2015, the Cigna scholarship has so far supported six recipients into careers as actuaries or roles within the wider finance industry.