Twelve young Bermudians will spend the summer being exposed to the vast international business opportunities on the Island.

The students have been selected for the sixth Summer Internship Programme (SIP) which is run by Ace, Bank of Bermuda and Deloitte. The students will spend a portion of the summer with each of the three companies working in a variety of different roles.

They will be expected to complete projects for each company, as well as one for a charity. Six of the students will be assisting the Women's Resource Centre target at-risk females between 18 and 24, while the remaining six will work with the Bermuda Sloop Foundation to evaluate the Spirit of Bermuda programme.

Ryan Gonsalves was one of the SIP students last year and is working as a mentor to the SIP students this year. The 21-year-old student of the University of Bath said: "One of the most important things I learned was how to work more efficiently under pressure in a small environment. I also developed ways to deal with conflict in a group both as a team leader and a team member.

"As the internship is affiliated with such world-renowned companies, I feel that I have an advantage over my peers. By having it on my resume that I have worked with these three companies and partook in such an exclusive programme makes me look more desirable to prospective employers."

Marcus Wade, who attends Huron University College, is one of the students selected for this summer's session of SIP. He is excited about the opportunity: "It is a great feeling to be given this opportunity. I have just finished my first year at university and this is the first opportunity I am being given in the business community. I am looking forward to learning about these companies."

Rees Fletcher, president and chief executive officer of Ace Bermuda, said: "I am confident that these students will enjoy a unique and enlightening business experience that will help them prepare to enter into a fast-changing business environment. It will also encourage them to focus now on planning and preparing for a successful career."

Bank of Bermuda's senior learning and development manager John Clayton explained that the students would be working on a marketing campaign, while at the Bank, to encourage university students to use various banking services. "Developing the knowledge and skill-set of our Island's future business leaders is a collective responsibility," he said. "This programme has proved to be a great platform for us to discover talented young Bermudians who we have later gone on to employ on a full-time basis."

During the 10-week programme the students will also work at accountancy firm Deloitte where they will be looking at ways to attract young Bermudians to work at the company.

David Mutch, who is a partner at the company said: "We aim to provide a balanced view of what the business environment entails, including presenting and project work, while allowing them to develop their leadership and team-building skills."

The 2008 SIP students are Kalena Astwood, Daniel Black, Laura Bolton, Anna Card, Christine Dunkley, Jonathan Faries, Kyle Ferreira, Nejil Forrest, Gladwin Omar Lodge Jr., Kelly-Ann Robinson, Zenika Simons and Marcus Wade.