PwC is to offer students an accelerated route to employment and an accountancy qualification through a new degree programme in partnership with Nottingham University Business School and the ICAEW.

The BSc Accountancy 'Flying Start' programme is designed to offer students a traditional university experience, in the course of which they learn theoretical accounting skills and also complete 80% of the ICAEW chartered Accountancy exams.

As well as academic study, students have three progressive work placements at PwC, and will be paid a competitive salary, as a way of helping to minimise any financial barriers to going to university. The firm says this should help widen access into the accountancy profession.

Those who successfully pass their exams and perform well in work placements will be offered full-time positions with PwC at senior associate level, and will qualify faster than traditional entry level graduate employees, becoming fully qualified chartered accountants within a year.

Gaenor Bagley, head of people at PwC said: 'The Flying Start programme is a unique degree designed around a career, targeting high performing, motivated students, who want to work in accountancy and business. The tailored mix of theory and practice means that when they join PwC, graduates from this programme will be one year ahead of their peers.'