February
6

Employee Snapshot: Georgiana and Victoria

In 2022, Peace Hills celebrated those who achieved milestones from anywhere between 5 to 30 years at the company. We are extremely proud to have a good mix of longstanding staff and newer faces who bring us a fresh take. All our employees, regardless of the amount of time they currently have spent with us, are important narrators to our story. 

Insurance Careers Month seeks to inspire the next generation to the path of insurance as a career, and we wanted to highlight some newer faces to our office who have chosen to explore what the industry has to offer. We posed a few questions to Georgiana Carlson and Victoria Yamada, two Personal Lines Coordinators in our ROC department (Rest of Canada), to share their perspectives on what lead them to Peace Hills, what they love about working in insurance, and insights they wished people outside the industry considered. 

An insurance career was not what Carlson had in mind when she started her bachelor’s degree in history, but worked in the industry while she was finishing her degree, and something clicked. Likewise with Yamada, who upon graduating high school, worked in a claims department for several years while pursuing courses for her CIP (Chartered Insurance Professional) designation. After having a taste for the industry, they both searched online to see what new opportunities awaited them and “Personal Lines Coordinator at Peace Hills Insurance” caught their attention. Yamada starting in January 2022 and Carlson just 3 months later, they each independently iterate that the fast-paced environment and sense of community, fostered internally and externally, is what they love the most about the insurance industry.  

“The best part of my job is my coworkers, and the fact that we see so much variation regarding business throughout each day. It makes every week different, and I am always getting to learn something new.” -Georgiana Carlson 

Peace Hills has undergone expansive growth in its 40-year history, growing from a company of 3 employees to over 250. Company culture remains at the forefront of our company’s values, but does this resonate with our newest staff members? “Peace Hills has such a unique ideology compared to others,” said Carlson. “I really enjoy that they prioritize our wellbeing and offer many different ways for us to grow and build such great relationships, whether it’s through our different office-wide team-building activities, or just day-to-day conversations.” She paused to consider this further and continued, “the best part of my job is my coworkers, and the fact that we see so much variation regarding business throughout each day. It makes every week different, and I am always getting to learn something new.” This camaraderie amongst Peace Hills staff has given Carlson and Yamada an appreciation for the contributions made by each different department and how we all work together. “People tend to think that you can do every piece of the insurance puzzle when in fact there are many different pieces that play a part,” said Yamada. 

“Insurance is so varied. From the different roles that are within the insurance community, to the systems and processes used within each department, careers are quite broad in terms of what we do and see daily. There are always opportunities for advancement and movement within the scope of insurance.” -Georgiana Carlson 

The parting words Carlson and Yamada wish to impart on new graduates entering the workforce, who may or may not be entertaining the idea of a career in insurance, is that there is something for everyone. “Know that there is lots of room for growth! There are so many different departments within insurance companies,” exclaimed Yamada. “If there is an area that interests you more than what you may currently be involved in, you can find new opportunities,” echoed Carlson. “The firsthand things you experience are what make you unique; being able to provide different views and implementing your own ideas will no doubt help you to thrive. If you choose to join the insurance industry, you can create a great foundation for yourself and leverage the skills you learn and them apply to many different careers."

“If you choose to join the insurance industry you can create a great foundation for yourself and utilize the skills you learn within the industry to your advantage, as they apply to many different careers.” -Victoria Yamada 

There you have it! It might not be what you went to school for, it may not be what you always dreamed about doing as a kid, but the insurance industry is a diverse and welcoming one with the potential for something for everyone.