As Canada’s insurance sector confronts a shrinking workforce and rising competition for skilled professionals, companies are rethinking how they define and develop talent. For Ray Chaaya (pictured), vice-president and head of talent at Zurich Canada, the focus is shifting from technical experience to potential – identifying candidates with the right mindset and foundational abilities to grow within the industry.
The urgency is mounting. With thousands of experienced professionals expected to retire within the next decade and fewer young people entering the field, the challenge is not simply to fill vacancies but to rebuild the sector’s long-term talent base. Employers, Chaaya said, can no longer rely on hiring from the same narrow pool of insurance-trained candidates.
Chaaya said defining “potential” begins with pinpointing traits that indicate long-term success rather than looking only at credentials. He noted that the most valuable early-career attributes are problem solving, emotional intelligence, resilience, and learning agility – four skills now embedded into Zurich’s job descriptions and recruitment frameworks.
Those capabilities, he explained, are assessed throughout the hiring process, including during interactive group events for student candidates. Instead of traditional interviews alone, candidates participate in a “camp day” that measures how they collaborate, think on their feet, and respond to new challenges.
“The day is structured with different events and different activities, and it's essentially fun for them because they're in groups and they're doing engaging activities,” Chaaya said. “But what we're actually doing throughout the day is we're assessing them on those foundational skills, and at the end of the day, we are measuring their potential within the Zurich environment.”
The approach helps filter applicants based on behavior and problem-solving ability rather than insurance experience – widening the door to those who might otherwise be overlooked.
Chaaya said this shift requires employers to rethink how they define readiness. “Experience” used to be the default requirement for most insurance roles, but that expectation no longer fits today’s labor market. Many promising candidates simply have not had the chance to build a background in insurance because of the industry’s limited visibility in schools and universities.
Hiring for potential, he explained, means identifying people who can learn quickly, adapt to change, and think critically – skills that can be taught, refined, and redirected across disciplines.
“If we’re going to invite talent in that doesn’t have any experience, knowledge, [or] post-secondary education, to these entry-level jobs … we have a responsibility to ensure that we are welcoming them into an inclusive environment, and that we are developing them and growing them,” he said.
That philosophy also challenges long-held assumptions about what makes someone “qualified.” In a field known for its technical rigor, the ability to learn may soon outweigh the ability to know.
Looking ahead, Chaaya said the greatest progress will come from expanding access to the industry and improving visibility for insurance careers. He believes many talented individuals simply never consider the field because they don’t understand the breadth of opportunities it offers.
He emphasized that if the industry can raise awareness and open its doors more widely over the next few years, the talent crisis could ease significantly.
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“If we can do a better job of shining a light on the industry … so that people outside of the industry understand the opportunities available, I think that is what's going to make a difference in five years,” he said.
He also acknowledged that the insurance sector’s long history and traditional hiring patterns have created “a lot of legacy” that must be addressed before lasting change can occur.
Beyond recruitment, Chaaya said practical training and education partnerships are critical to broadening entry routes. He highlighted an apprenticeship initiative developed with Seneca Polytechnic that applies a trades-style model to insurance careers.
Under the program, underrepresented and equity-deserving youth are selected to complete a two-year insurance diploma tuition-free while working part time and earning a salary. Upon graduation, participants transition directly into full-time roles.
The apprenticeship model, he said, demonstrates how the industry can rethink both access and education – allowing students to gain credentials, income, and real-world experience simultaneously.
Chaaya believes that if the industry can expand access and awareness while redefining potential, the talent equation could look dramatically different within five years. Broader entry pathways, combined with structured skill development and mentorship, could help offset the looming wave of retirements.
He remains optimistic that progress is achievable – but only if the sector sustains its focus. “If we, as an industry, can start that work now and do it consistently over five to ten years, I think this challenge will be addressed,” he added.
