Etched Actuarial’s Post

A NEW faster way to Actuarial Associateship!! What if you could become an associate actuary just months after graduating? Sounds impossible, right? Well, not anymore - at least in Canada. The CIA (no, not that CIA! The Canadian Institute of Actuaries) has completely changed the game for future actuaries, making the journey faster and more efficient. Curious about how it works and whether it could ever come to the SOA and CAS? Get the simple breakdown in this video. Watch now to discover the new path that could transform your actuarial journey, and let me know what you think in the comments! Watch this next: Is This the Future of Actuary Certification? https://lnkd.in/gYaSyw_z #actuary #actuarialexam #etchedactuarial

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 I am thrilled to share that I have successfully passed the CS1 (Actuarial Statistics) and CB1 (Business Finance) actuarial exams! This achievement marks a significant milestone in my journey towards becoming a fully qualified actuary. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. Your encouragement and belief in me have been invaluable. Looking forward to the next steps in this rewarding career path! #ActuarialScience #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerMilestone #ContinuousLearning

I’m excited to share that I have successfully passed my first actuarial exam, SOA Exam FM! 🎉 This accomplishment marks a significant step forward in my journey as an aspiring actuary.A big thank you to Coaching Actuaries for their excellent course and guidance in helping me reach this milestone. Looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead as I continue on this path! #ActuarialScience #SOAExamFM #FinancialMathematics

👎🏻𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲 It’s easy to get caught up in the comparison game, especially when you see people clearing 2-3 exams in one go on social media. But here’s the truth: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 -it’s a personal journey. Everyone’s path is unique, and it’s important to focus on your progress, not someone else’s. I remember failing my first actuarial exam—CM1—by just one mark. It was disheartening at the time, but it taught me a valuable lesson. That one mark made me realize how important every bit of effort and focus is. It pushed me to revisit my study methods, dive deeper into the concepts, and refine my approach to learning. That failure turned into a pivotal moment in my journey. And I feel everyone SHOULD fail atleast one time. Failing an actuarial exam is part of the career. It doesn’t define your abilities or your future success. In fact, most actuaries have experienced failure at some point along the way, and it only made them stronger. The earlier you face setbacks, the better you can bounce back with resilience and a renewed focus. In the long term, no one is going to ask whether you cleared all your exams on the first try. What matters is your perseverance, your ability to learn from failure, and how you apply that experience to improve. So, if you’ve faced a setback, remember—it’s just a stepping stone on your path to becoming a stronger actuary. Keep pushing forward! Let me know if you have anything to add to this 😄👇🏻 #Actuarial #insurance #fail #exams #ifoa #soa #iai #acturialscience

Not Only an Actuary A year ago, I decided to take a career break — a step that was both difficult and necessary. In my talk at the IFoA Middle East Conference in May 2024, I shared my experience before and after making this decision. While attempting to distance myself from the actuarial world, I was surprised to find myself more connected to it, as I discovered unexpected opportunities to apply actuarial skills in other fields of life. Here is the link to my talk: https://lnkd.in/dM9AfYWd

A Crossroads in the Actuarial Journey As an actuarial student, you’ve made it this far - convinced that becoming an actuary is your path, mentally prepared for the rigor of continuous study, and undeterred by potential exam failures. You’ve passed Exams P and FM, both essential for advancing through either the Society of Actuaries (SOA) or the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS). Now, you're at a critical juncture. The Crossroad: #SOA or #CAS? At this stage, the decision between pursuing the SOA or CAS track becomes pivotal. Resonating advice you might hear includes, “Go with the first actuarial job offer you receive!” or “Follow the path that you are most drawn to”. Many students gravitate towards one of these recommendations, I believe, or perhaps just fall into one based on limited exposure. Will the SOA and CAS ever merge into one unified body, or perhaps introduce more overlapping exams to give students additional time to explore both paths before committing? 🤔 As someone with a deep interest in this subject and as a co-lead of the GSU Actuarial Ambassador Program, I am curious to hear how other actuaries and students have navigated this crossroads. What factors influenced your decision, and how did you weigh the pros and cons of each path? I would love to hear your stories, advice, and recommendations for others at this critical decision point. Photo Credit: Copilot Powered by DALL·E 3😁

Brand repositioning A few months ago I had the privilege of attending the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) brand (re)positioning strategy day with the member engagement board. A question that was asked was whether we are positioning or re-positioning our brand within society. The question posed; what is it that we do as #actuaries? Themes around risk management, complex problem solvers, future focused, etc. were raised. Today, I got to watch many #executives in action but the one that stood out for me was the doctor (because they are cool and save lives 👍🏾) and surprisingly the actuary (articulate, analytical and insightful). And as we heard these presentations my colleague next to me raised a point ASSA has been trying to address which is how do high school students get access to actuaries and what they do. Gone (supposedly) are the days of wanting to be a doctor, accountant or engineer. We need the awareness at a grade 10, grade 9 level of what it would take to get accepted into a university to study actuarial science and not inform students once they have already chosen subjects and degrees of this wonderful career path. That being said, it reminded me of one of my passion projects as the student representative on council, using technology that is on the finger tips of school kids to access insightful knowledge of the diverse faces of the profession. And the result of this project was a video which has been published on YouTube. A day in the life of an actuary based on ny experience Shot by Josh Dylan https://lnkd.in/d_w3GMH8

The Institute of Actuaries embarked on its mission of academic excellence with the first actuarial exams in 1850. These exams were designed to uphold high professional standards, covering critical subjects like mortality rates, compound interest, life contingencies, and annuities. This rigorous syllabus set a challenging bar, ensuring that only individuals with deep expertise entered the profession. The structure of these early exams was intentionally demanding, reflecting the seriousness of actuarial responsibilities in assessing financial risks. Originally, only individuals already working within the field could attempt the exams, emphasizing that actuaries needed both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. ➡️ Did You Know? These exams were initially open only to those already employed in actuarial roles, ensuring that IFoA-certified actuaries had hands-on experience. This blend of knowledge and practical expertise became a hallmark of the profession. #ActuarialScience #actuary #ActuarialCareer #actuarial #actuarylife #actuary12h

You are exactly where you’re supposed to be. ✨🤍 When I was taking actuarial exams, I often found myself saying, “I can’t wait til I’m done with these tests, so that I can…” 📚 It’s understandable to yearn for future days when life is tough and the years feel long. Actuarial exams are a huge undertaking. There will be more things you want to do than there is time for. ⏳ But here’s the thing… that doesn’t change when you earn your credentials. That’s going to be true in every season of life. Thus it’s critical to focus on what’s most important each day and embrace the present moment. 🙏🏻 What are you learning? How is this season refining you? What are you grateful for? I’d challenge you to reflect. This simple task can make all the difference. Identifying your purpose in a season can be so empowering. 💪🏼 So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the difficulties of life or feeling inadequate because you can’t do it all, STOP. Slow down and focus on your why. Identify your mission and unique calling right now, then let go of everything else. 😌 You are doing enough. You are enough. You are loved and made with purpose just as you are. Enjoy the journey. #inspiringactuaries #encouragement #examseason #actuarialexams #studytips

📢 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐅𝐎𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐮𝐭, 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠! To all my fellow aspiring actuaries, congratulations on your achievements so far. Whether you've passed your exams or faced some challenges, remember that every step you take is a step closer to your goal. 💡 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦: 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝: Each exam is a milestone towards a rewarding career. 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲: Create a realistic schedule and stick to it. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: Analyze past mistakes and seek to improve. I'm here to support you on this journey! If you have any questions or need guidance, feel free to reach out. Let's work together to achieve our goals and continue to excel in the field of actuarial science. 🌟 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: If you have any issues, doubts, or simply need someone to talk to about your actuarial exams, I'm available. Let's connect and help each other succeed! 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬!✨ #Actuaries #ActuarialScience #ExamPreparation #Motivation #Success #IFOA