This article originally appeared in the CIA (e)Bulletin.
Fellowship is definitely a significant milestone in any young actuary’s journey.
This year, the CIA was proud to welcome over 273 new Fellows to the Institute, 67 of whom took to the stage to receive their certificate of Fellowship in front of over 600 applauding guests at act19, the CIA’s annual conference.
New Fellows, joined by family and friends, met with outgoing president John Dark during a reception prior to the ceremony and celebrated this important milestone in their career with all conference attendees at the official networking reception.
From feelings of elation to a sense of relief at the prospect of more free time – one thing rings true: the work is worth the reward.
“I was thrilled and honoured to receive my FCIA diploma and celebrate alongside other new Fellows at the recent 2019 annual conference in Montréal,” says Patrick G. Kavanagh, Director, Actuarial Services at Pal Insurance. “I’m proud to be part of the Canadian actuarial community and look forward to continuing to serve the public and giving back to the profession throughout my career.”
Canada’s actuarial ranks are growing
With the elimination of the June 2018 PEC exam, this year’s cohort of new Fellows was bigger than ever – boasting over 273 FCIAs, surpassing all previous inductions to date.
No small undertaking
As the lifelong career partner for Canadian actuaries, the Institute is excited to see growth of the profession in Canada and a steady increase in the number of qualified members of the Institute. “It’s extremely rewarding to witness students that we meet in universities and at the ASNA convention finally achieving their Fellowship,” says Alicia Rollo, CIA Director, Education and International Affairs. “One of the great aspects of working for the CIA is the development of relationships with members at a very early stage and helping them celebrate their amazing accomplishments at key milestones like this.”
But ask any actuary and they will tell you the road to Fellowship is not easy. “It’s a lot of time and effort – taking exams, studying – but don’t give up,” new Fellow Chung Yiu (Benny) Chan, an Actuarial Consultant at J.S. Cheng & Partners, tells future hopefuls. “I have one exam that I failed three times, but I didn’t give up and eventually I became a Fellow. Don’t give up and keep trying!”
Year after year, we are impressed by the dedication of those who recognize the commitment required and who work towards Fellowship – so to you we say bravo!
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