International business is everybody’s business.
That is the key message of the campaign of the same name run annually by the Association of Bermuda International Companies, in conjunction with the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, Bermuda International Long-Term Insurers and Reinsurers, and the Bermuda Business Development Association.
Adding substance to that concept is the Abic Career Shifters Scholarship, an educational award designed to help those already established in a career gain the education or professional designations needed to pivot into IB and thrive.
Unlike traditional scholarships aimed at school leavers, the Career Shifters Scholarship recognises the value of real-world experience and supports adults ready for a professional change.
This scholarship was launched in 2025 as a new feature of the campaign, adding to the Abic Education Awards, the island’s largest and longest-running private-sector scholarship programme, with a history stretching back nearly 50 years.
Providing a grant of $5,000 to career shifters looking to upgrade their skills, the scholarship helps recipients to gain industry-recognised designations through organisations such as The Institutes, an international educational organisation focused on the insurance industry, and other accredited professional bodies, or take courses either in person or online through the Bermuda College or overseas universities.
Having generated a strong response last year, two awards are on offer for 2026, as part of the “International business is everybody’s business” campaign. The new sponsor of the 2026 campaign and the associated scholarships is Lombard Odier, a Swiss private bank specialising in wealth and asset management.
International business is everyone’s business
Wayne Smith, Abic’s executive director, said Lombard Odier, which is celebrating 50 years in Bermuda, epitomised the symbiotic relationship between IB and the island. The company has contributed to the island’s gross domestic product for decades, he added, and has employed and promoted many Bermudians.
“We wanted to do something more substantial for the ‘International business is everybody’s business’ campaign in 2025, and the Abic Marketing Committee proposed a scholarship for career shifters,” said Mr Smith, giving credit to the committee’s chairwoman, Zina Edwards, the director of corporate communications and stakeholder relations for the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
The scholarship is deliberately designed to be accessible to mid-career professionals. To be eligible to apply for the Career Shifters Scholarship, applicants must be Bermudian or Permanent Resident’s Certificate holder, or eligible to acquire one, between the ages of 25 and 65, and must be accepted by a school or professional education organisation by the time of the interview. The award is based on financial need.
While many people working in different fields may not think there would be a place for their skill sets in international business, the breadth of IB jobs requires a range of capabilities.
Beyond underwriters, accountants and corporate lawyers, international companies employ professionals in IT, data analysis, engineering, marketing and communications, human resources, facilities management, administration and catering, among many others. From this perspective, it is clear that a wide range of skills and knowledge is transferable into IB.
Malinda Jennings, Abic’s scholarship and executive administrator, said that among the 14 applicants for last year’s Career Shifters Scholarship were a nurse, a construction worker, a musician, teachers, single parents who wanted to upskill, and someone who missed out on going to university and wanted to study law.
“The average age of applicants last year was about 30, so we are dealing with mature adults,” Ms Jennings said. “While we look at their transcript, we don’t put too much weight on it. More important are the references from employers that attest to their character, and when they tell us why they want to do this and how they see it happening.
“We are very strategic when we’re interviewing them — we look at where they have come from and how these skills can be transferable. We found that most of them came with a plan already. They were very sure as to what their journey was going to look like before they even applied for the scholarship.”
Powerful stories
The career focus that comes with several years of experience in the world of work was evident.
“The stories we heard from the 2025 applicants were powerful, and they were clearly serious about pursuing their goals and dreams,” Ms Jennings said. “There was no fluff about any of them, no fly-by-night applications. They were very determined, and it was very difficult to pick from that cohort, because everyone was so well presented.”
Mr Smith is aware of many career-shifter success stories. He cited one person who was working in hospitality and moved into an international insurance company’s catering and facilities division, which today he heads. Others have moved from being receptionists at hotels to customer service at an international company.
Mr Smith gave another potential example: “Someone who has a construction background – experience in project management, maintenance, masonry, carpentry, or plumbing, for example – could end up as a facilities manager for an international company.”
Like all of the Abic Education Awards, the Career Shifters Scholarship comes with a mentor, a professional from an Abic member company, assigned to the recipient to help them make progress towards their goals. Often these mentor relationships extend beyond the time of the scholarship.
Mr Smith highlighted another key factor influencing the chances of achieving employment in the desired field: “I always tell people that the three secrets of getting a job in IB Bermuda are networking, networking, and networking.”
The Career Shifters Scholarship, he added, is designed to give recipients both the qualifications and the connections to make that transition possible.
• Applications for the Abic Career Shifters Scholarship can be made at bermudascholarships.com. The deadline is April 9, 2026.
