September 20, 2021, Portland, OR – On June 21, 2021, TPG launched a sales internship program called SPARK, designed to introduce college students to a sales career in the insurance industry. Three Class of 2022 University of Oregon students – Kevin Pham, Sara Huynh, and Ian Cruickshank – were selected to be our pilot interns. The program wrapped up on September 15, with fantastic results.
We are thrilled to announce that SPARK intern Sara Huynh (left) is a recipient of a CIAB Scholarship Award. Sara is one of only 75 students in the US who qualified for and received this scholarship. The Council Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable educational organization whose mission is to bring fresh, diverse talent into the brokerage sector by way of internships with member firms of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers.
“The SPARK internship was a valuable experience that will play a role in my future career,” Sara says. “With the opportunity to job shadow the different departments at TPG, I was able to gain insights on the many careers and think about what I want to do in the future. …I’m beyond grateful and appreciative of everyone in the office who shared their career journey with me and made me feel welcome to TPG.”
Program graduate Ian Cruickshank (SPARK ’21; University of Oregon, ‘22) (right) will be joining TPG in 2022 through our Ignite program as a Commercial Account Management Assistant. “The Spark Internship taught me not only about TPG, but the insurance industry as a whole. We learned about the history of insurance, the law of large numbers, and what it takes to underwrite. … I enjoyed learning about how all the different areas of TPG work together in One Partner Advantage…. I found that I enjoy working in a team environment much more than just working on my own.” Ignite is a four-week, on-the-job leadership program, geared toward a long-term career with the company. Founded five years ago, the goal is to recruit new graduates and turn them into customer service and sales strategists.
SPARK ’21 graduate Kevin Pham (center) had this to say: “The SPARK internship has sparked an interest of mine to enter the insurance industry after college. I got to learn about TPG and get a deeper insight into the insurance industry through job shadows, CIAB training, and various learning activities. … This was my first time doing an official project with other interns and I learned new skills from them while using mine in ways I didn’t know I was capable of. …I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to intern for such a great company and I hope to come back to the TPG through the Ignite program!”
If you’d like to know more about our SPARK internship or Ignite program, contact Karla Thommen at kthommen@tpgrp.com.
