What's your job about?
Currently, a graduate in the Vero NZ Commercial BDM team. My day comprises of completing learning modules, underwriting new and existing business, as well as meetings with brokers.
What's your background?
Proud Samoan, born in Poutasi, Samoa. I grew up in Central Auckland (C.A.), New Zealand with my amazing family of 3 older sisters and great parents. All my schooling took place in C.A. In the early years, after school most days I would be at the local rugby field with all the kids from the neighbourhood. This love for sport evolved into later playing football, cricket, softball, indoor netball and eventually baseball. I was fortunate enough to play for different representative baseball teams, locally and abroad, most notably for the NZ U23 men’s baseball team in Taiwan for the U23 Baseball World Cup Qualifiers. My love for sport and my love for learning were at tension with one another, and my love for learning won.
I put an end to my sporting ambitions and focused on study. I studied Theology and Leadership and gained both a Certificate and Diploma. I then went on to gain a Bachelor of Business Management through AUT. An internship was then available through TupuToa, an organisation that provide corporate internship opportunites for Polynesian and Māori graduates, of whom Suncorp NZ are a partner. I completed the summer internship, loved it, and rolled straight into this graduate role and now it’s been just under 2 years at Suncorp.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Yes. I believe anyone, from any background can succeed in my role. I have seen success thus far in my role by being curious, teachable, hardworking, kind and respectful – kind and respectful being a key characteristic as it foundational in the skill of forming and building meaningful professional relationships with others in the industry.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I like to think of the graduate program experience as one big learning experience, which has been my favourite part about my job – I’m continuously discovering and learning new things. I’ve discovered my interest lies in Underwriting, specifically Commercial Underwriting. I’m currently in my final rotation for the grad programme within the Vero Commercial BDM team – completing learning modules, underwriting new and existing business, as well as meeting brokers is what my days and weeks tend to look like.
What are the limitations of your job?
Wanting to advance and learn quickly comes to mind. I love learning and learning quickly – but the pace is limited to ‘slow and steady’ as there is much to learn in commercial underwriting.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
One piece of advice (but more of an affirmation of how I already was operating in uni)
Continue to be true to yourself and stay grounded in who/what makes you YOU – your culture, your language, your loved ones, your faith, your lived experiences.
- WHO you are is a fantastic compass in finding WHAT you want to do and WHERE you want to be.