Ernst & Young aims to Fast Track best and brightest

Accountancy and professional services firm Ernst & Young has expanded its internship and work experience programme.

The company said that EY Fast Tracks, which will offer more than 700 places on a mixture of insight days and placements to sixth-form students, undergraduates and postgraduates, is now the biggest scheme of its kind in the private sector.

It added that it aims to convert at least half of these openings into full-time jobs by 2013.

Stephen Isherwood, the firm's head of graduate recruitment, said: "Over the last 12 months, we've seen an unprecedented level of demand for our existing internship and work experience schemes. The appetite of graduates this year is huge - applications for 2011 places are already up by over 135 per cent.

"In response, we have not only doubled the existing number of places available but have also added to the range and scope of the programmes on offer."

Ernst & Young provides tax, assurance, transaction and advisory services and employs around 141,000 people worldwide.