The two-year graduate recruitment initiative, which will see successful applicants benefit from Communication, Advertising and Marketing (CAM) Foundation) accreditation, board-level mentoring and an intensive induction programme including global placement, will offer account handlers a full introduction to all aspects of the advertising and marketing industry.
The full-time scheme, which opened on 8 December for graduates joining in 2010, will see candidates undertake four rotations across the business, including account management, strategic thinking, a stint within Iris's award-winning specialist disciplines - which include digital, experiential and sponsorship - and a placement within one of Iris's offices worldwide.
Kathryn Pritchard, global talent director at Iris, said: "We want the right grads for our business, which is why the application process focuses on real client briefs and the programme itself offers global mobility to build global insight and knowledge from day one.
"The key thing that the industry needs to recognise is that the next generation of agency leaders is going to have to be able to integrate disciplines, geographies and work across client boundaries, and this scheme - as one of a raft of new people products we are introducing - aims to help them build the capability they need to become a global industry leader."
Successful candidates will have one-to-one mentoring sessions with the agency's senior managers, an accredited learning qualification from recognised industry charity (CAM Foundation); four placements including a global rotation; monthly seminars with industry speakers; insight into client businesses; and an induction and buddying programme, as well as other tools to aid their development.
