Wales’ leading specialist agricultural insurance broker, FUW Insurance Services Ltd, celebrated a double triumph at the recent Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and Personal Finance Society (PFS) annual Apprenticeship Award and qualification prize-giving ceremony.
Held on November 21st at the Insurance Hall, London, the ceremony saw a pool of almost 6,000 entries, with the Welsh business coming out on top in the Apprentice Employer of the Year (Small) award.
This prestigious award recognises the company’s significant investment in developing its apprenticeship programme and fostering a culture of learning and growth. By enrolling all new starters for Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) qualifications and encouraging ongoing professional development, the broker has empowered its workforce – with over three-quarters (77%) of staff holding CII Certificate qualifications or higher.
The award also coincides with FUW Insurance Services Ltd’s recently launched internal academy. The academy will further nurture and invest in their account handlers, with a view of encouraging the development and progression of staff from handler roles to account executive roles.
Judges for the award commended the broker’s “bottom-up approach to encouraging role responsibilities”, and for “their clear strategic direction in staff development in securing a forward-thinking strategic approach to apprenticeships”.
The broker’s second award on the night was won by FUW Insurance Services Ltd’s Heledd Roberts, scooping the Insurance Professional Apprentice of the Year award.
Heledd joined FUW Insurance Services Ltd in August 2020 as an Account Handler in Ruthin, before going on to work as a Lead Account Handler in Carmarthen.
She has since returned to Ruthin as an Account Executive. As part of her work, she has completed a Cert II qualification, as well as a CII Diploma Level 4, and previously won the ‘Tomorrow’s Talent’ award at the 2024 Apprenticeship Awards Cymru.
Commenting following their double award success, Ann Beynon OBE, Chair of FUW Insurance Services Ltd’s Board, said:
“We’re delighted to have won both these awards at this recent award ceremony, and honoured to be recognised for our investment in apprenticeships.
These successes are testament to the hard work of staff from all levels of the business. From the dedication of our apprentices, to the guidance and support of our mentors, to the strategic vision of our leadership team.
We remain particularly grateful for the support we have received from the Welsh Government that has allowed us to better invest in our apprenticeship programme and ambitions. This has aided us not only in fostering a dynamic, forward-thinking and skilled workforce, but also in contributing towards wider economic development in communities across Wales.”
Guto Bebb, Chief Executive of FUW Insurance Services Ltd added:
“We’re extremely proud of our apprentices and the positive impact they have on our business.
These achievements reinforce our commitment to providing exceptional opportunities for young people to gain valuable skills and launch successful careers in rural Wales.”
The Apprenticeship Awards feature three financial planning categories and three insurance categories, as well as awards for apprentice employers. The individual winners each received a cash prize of up to £1,000, sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Insurers Charitable Trust.
Feature image: Grace Marshall (Commercial Account Handler, FUW Insurance Services Ltd), Gareth Lewis (ALS Training) and Heledd Roberts (Account Executive, FUW Insurance Services Ltd)
