Actuarial science a growing choice among top achievers

Photo: Jenni Evans

Jenni Evans, News24 reports, "Actuarial Science is an increasingly popular career choice for the country's top Independent Examination Board (IEB) achievers."

Photo: (iStock) News24

That's according to the Actuarial Society of South Africa (Assa), a professional body with just over 1 200 registered members.

The Department of Higher Education regards the science of calculating financial risk as a scarce skill, but that may be about to change thanks to starting salaries of between R250 000 to R300 000 a year and growing opportunities.

"Fortunately it is always attractive to top performers, especially those with top marks in mathematics and science," said Assa president Roseanne Murphy da Silva.

A top achiever herself and a former dux at Redhill in Sandton in 1989 with six distinctions, Murphy da Silva said maths and science boffins were drawn to the career path.

This was because of the range of opportunities that the career could lead to, not just in insurance and medical aid, but also in banking, health and other sectors involving financial planning in the economy.
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Source: News24