Investing in Young People – McLardy McShane

As a people-first business, we are passionate about creating opportunities that help our emerging professionals build confidence, develop relationships and grow long-term careers within the industry.

While technical knowledge is important, we believe some of the most valuable early career skills are communication, relationship building and the willingness to step outside your comfort zone. Insurance is ultimately a people business, and providing young professionals with meaningful experiences early in their careers can have a lasting impact.

We actively encourage our people to immerse themselves in the broader industry through seminars, networking events and professional development opportunities run by organisations including Young Insurance Professionals and NIBA.

We also place a strong focus on experiences that support both personal and professional growth. While our UK Tour program, including visits to Lloyd’s of London, insurer and broker partners, networking opportunities and cultural experiences – will not be proceeding this year due to the current global climate, creating these opportunities for our team remains incredibly important to us. We are committed to continuing to provide access to charitable, networking and educational experiences that allow our young people to grow both personally and professionally.

This year, we are also proud to support young staff through participation in the Melbourne Football Club’s Alice Springs Community Impact Program alongside the Jim Stynes Foundation, providing an opportunity for cultural immersion, community engagement and personal growth with Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

We are also proud to have staff participate in opportunities such as the Reach Foundation’s Thousand Faces Camp, a program connected to a charity we proudly support year after year. The camp is designed to create perspective, inspire young people and challenge them in ways that encourage personal growth, resilience and self-development. Experiences like these are incredibly valuable in helping our young people build confidence, broaden their outlook and develop skills that extend well beyond the workplace.

A reflection of this commitment can be seen through the achievements of our own people, including Taylor Burstow recently being recognised with the Young Achiever of the Year award at the Insurance Business Awards Australia 2026. Recognition like this encapsulates the incredible talent, innovation and leadership emerging throughout our team, and reinforces the importance of continuing to invest in the next generation of industry professionals.

Giving back to the community is also a major part of our culture at McLardy McShane. Supporting charities and community initiatives is something we place a high importance on, with the business having raised more than $4 million for charitable causes over the years. We strongly encourage our people to contribute not only financially, but through volunteering their time and actively engaging with the communities and organisations we support.

By continuing to invest in our young people both professionally and personally, we hope to help shape the next generation of insurance professionals and leaders while ensuring the future of our industry remains strong, connected and people-focused.