Carlisle broker appoints newly qualified teenage apprentice to leadership role

H&H Insurance Brokers (HHIB) has promoted a newly qualified apprentice to the role of claims team leader.

Victoria Twentyman, who is 19, joined the broker as an apprentice admin assistant straight from school and achieved her professional insurance qualifications in January 2025.

In her new role, Twentyman will work alongside Stuart Torrance, who has moved from claims manager to the newly created role of quality assurance manager.

She will also be supported by operations director Kally Shane.

Twentyman said: “The apprenticeship route was perfect for me because it enabled me to work and study at the same time. Working as part of the team has meant I can gain knowledge and skills on the job, which ultimately led to this new role.

“I’m excited about what the future holds and looking forward to working with the team to further develop the department.”

The apprenticeship 

Twentyman started her apprenticeship at HHIB a few years ago after leaving Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith following her GCSEs.

She was based at the firm’s head office in Rosehill and worked across different aspects of the business before joining the claims team in 2022.

Shane said: “It’s part of our ethos as a firm to provide opportunities for people to pursue rewarding career paths in the financial services industry and Twentyman is a great example of that.

“Her hard work, commitment and enthusiasm meant she was the natural choice to lead our in-house claims team and she has the full support of the team behind her.”

Industry figures

This comes after the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) recorded a 15% year-on-year rise in completed insurance qualifications in 2024.

According to the association, the most popular qualifications over the past year were the Level 3 Certificate in Insurance, the Level 3 Award in London market Insurance and the Level 4 Diploma in Insurance.

Combined, 6,349 people completed these courses over the past year.

Meanwhile, according to specialist professional services and technology firm Davies, 85% of people believe apprenticeship schemes help build loyalty between participants and their organisation, while 78% reported that participants in their apprenticeship programmes often progress to long-term careers within their company.

Craig Potter, professional education senior partner at Davies, said: ”With a majority of firms now offering permanent roles to their scheme graduates and a similar number of firms reporting that they are cutting recruitment costs as a result, it’s clear that they provide an excellent pathway for firms looking to secure long-term talent.”