In a an attempt to fill India’s graduate employability gap through a demand-driven, industry-certified training and internship model, HDFC Life, the Indian life insurance firm has partnered with upGrad, the skilling platform, to launch a unique internship programme. The programme aims to provide internship opportunities for up to 2,000 eligible participants across HDFC Life’s branch network.
This three-week long self-paced online ‘Insurance Fundamentals Programme’ offers certification in life insurance along with practical experience of the business, to present a career pathway for the participants. Those who successfully complete the course, which is a blend of hard and soft skills, get a four-month paid internship with HDFC Life, provided they fulfil the selection criteria. Those interested need to pay just a nominal fee for registration and access to the online course on the upGrad portal.
The subjects covered by the programme include financial literacy, time value of money, interest calculation, risk assessment, insurance terminology, and Unit Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP) insights. There will also be modules on regulatory compliance, Insurance Act, grievance redressal, and money laundering prevention. To prepare the participants for frontline and client-facing roles, there will be lessons to sharpen verbal and non-verbal communication; body language, grooming standards, and professional etiquette.
The programme offers an opportunity to learners to gain hands-on experience with HDFC Life and a better chance of landing a full-time job in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector. Pre-final, final year students, fresh graduates, as well as those between careers can benefit from the programme. No prior experience in finance is required.
In the first phase of the launch, the programme will be made available across colleges and universities in India, with the aim of embedding industry-aligned skills into the academic ecosystem and accelerating employability outcomes at scale.
Vibhash Naik, chief human resources officer, HDFC Life, “The Indian insurance industry is poised for growth and as companies scale up there will be a demand for skilled and qualified professionals. For aspirants looking at building a career in this sector, domain knowledge is absolutely essential. The Insurance Fundamentals Program, jointly certified by HDFC Life and upGrad is not just about training; it’s about being employable and having the requisite knowledge and skills that are relevant for the BFSI sector”.
He revealed that the “programme combines domain and industry knowledge along with real-world exposure, thus offering participants the best of both worlds.”
In the words of Anuj Vishwakarma, COO –Institutional Businesses & Certifications, upGrad, “What makes this partnership truly impactful is the opportunity to learn directly through on-the-job exposure. Internships remain the most powerful way to bridge theory and practice – and doing that with an industry leader brings unmatched value.”
The programme has been launched at a time when the Indian life insurance industry is working towards achieving the collective vision of ‘Insurance for All by 2047’. That means the need for customer-facing professionals will keep on growing.
