FDM Academy

DukeOfEarl

Do they guarantee that mulmul?

mulmul

DukeOfEarl wrote: »

Do they guarantee that mulmul?

there is a bind agreement to sign prior the free training that you will have to work for them for 2 years, or there is a fee to pay back for the training they provided.

tbh there is no free lunch with FDM, unless they cant find / give you a job then "you shall be free" lol :D

mulmul

mrcow wrote: »

They couldn't find him a job so they had him doing in-house stuff for a while - but they terminated it after a few months as they didn't have the work. He wasn't the only one.

This was years ago though - but I would think it could be even worse now as the recession will have bitten them.

Best thing to do is call them and ask what the score is. I spoke to them a couple of times and they were really approachable.

before he had the training , did he applied for a job vacancy offered by FDM?

alunharford

I've been working as a software developer for a few years now. You should expect to be earning £25kish as a new graduate and at least double that within 3 years if you're any good.

Taking a contract that holds your salary at graduate levels for 2 years is madness in this industry. Not only will you lose out on money (and the practical difference between being paid £25k and £50k is a huge - far more than any career step you will take later), you'll also not progress for 2 years after you graduate and you'll never catch up as a result.

My advice when you're starting out in this industry is to find a job paying okay money with great colleagues passionate about what you want to do. If you don't see that when they're interviewing you, turn the offer down.

joannaakins

I just had a assessment session with them yesterday...basically they come across as a company that uses people without caring about them in any way. You have to sort out your own accommodation, travel and feeding when you go for their assessments in Brighton, there feedback mechanism is zero. There contract is very dodgy, there staff member and trainers all act as if they have something to hide you never just get a very straightforward answer to your questions...basically I wont recommend these company to anyone. Basically there assessment was the worst one I've ever been to, and being a former recruitment consultant I know what these things should be like. Any company that uses people the way they do cant just be a good place to work. My advice don't waste your money time and energy investing in a company that wont invest in you.

pwl2706

hi all,

I took their training course many years ago before the Millenium when it (the course) was far far less than what you get now... I didn't have a degree...

Still ended up with a 10 year career in a global American Blue-Chip bank in Luxembourg...

I'd advise you that in uncertain times it can be good to get your foot in the door with a company that has some great client relationships...even if you only earn £25K for 2 years, it's a lot better than many of your contempories will be doing on the dole or temping, and you can find yourself working for a great employer at the end like I did.

Check this (might put your mind at rest): http://www.fdmacademy.com/fdm-academy-unveil-10-scam-killer-questions-to-ask-any-training-provider/

HTH
Philip

WPN

FDM Academy sounds like a HUGE scam!

They have a page on training scams... and for each question they showcase their business... sounds very much "sales" to me. Kinda how they want to persuade you to think FDM Academy is NOT a scam, but assuming all businesses are innocent and legit until proven otherwise, why would they need to persuade you from that specific angle? Just my 2p.

MDGM

Just got a call for a phone interview and told them that I had seen a lot of mentions of FDM being a scam and that I didn't trust the company and that I wanted to withdraw my application.

The interviewers reaction seemed totally rehearsed - she even offered to put me into contact with somebody who had "been through the scheme and got a job" - a service that is obviously set up for people like me who don't trust the company. What are the odds that the person they put me in contact with is the sales person sitting next to them? :P

Anyway, I dont trust this company - no smoke without fire on the internet and no company that is trustworthy would react so cooly to being called fraudulent in an interview.

Need to keep this thread alive because it is still a real threat - if your reading this and have any first hand experience with the company please post about your experience to warn people in the future

dizzyrascal

Their assessment centre is actually just a sales pitch.
If you are any good at IT you should not need these people to help you get a job.
Essentially they are having their cake and eating it. They get you to fund your own training and then tie you in to a contract that will fleece you for £20,000 if you don't stay with them for 2 years.
They charge the companies that you work for extremely high contracting rates. This is a win -win for them.
They do not guarantee you any work and the contract is only for 2 years if you do get work.
They can and do place you anywhere, you cannot decide where you want to work.
Unlike other graduate schemes, where, after a 2 or three year training period, you usually get to work in a department that suits you and you become a manager and have good career options. This scheme does not offer any security like that. They are not really interested in your long term employment or your career. Only what they can get out of you in the short term. You would be much better off working for a company that cares about your career development, even if that takes a bit of getting.

The County Court in Brighton is littered with FDM graduates who failed to complete their contract and are now having to repay the training fees. They will pursue you for it, be warned!
They prey on graduates who are desperate to work for their blue chip clients. Please think long and hard about this company before signing up. At least go in with your eyes open.
If you are persuaded to join then at least have a lawyer check the contract over (FDM won't like this). Or have a cooling off period before you sign.

tim_owen69

I am currently 36 weeks into a contracting job with a tier 1 investment bank (sorry I can't say which one), after taking part in the FDM PMO stream. I went to Loughborough University studying Information Science and I undershot my degree aspirations and got a dreaded 2:2. After noticing that it was unthinkable to get on one of the highly competitive graduate schemes, I started looking into internships to gain a bit of experience to fill out my CV but quickly realised that I did not live in the right location to get an internship from home. This is when I found the FDM scheme. As with all of you I am sure you have done your background research, which usually involves typing FDM into Google/Wiki and the likes. The first thing I saw was scam as well, but I was assured in the interview process that this wasn't the case and that it was mearly a disgruntled former trainee trolling the company. At no point did FDM guarentee me a job at the end of it, but I spoke to a few of the trainees who were towards the end of their streams and they assured me that there were jobs out there. I sat the 10 week training programme which I passed every module first time, we learnt quick and at the end of each week we took a professional qualification. I reached the 10th week of the stream and at my first interview with the bank I got a job working for the Back Office doing Systems Training (I also had 4 other interviews planned that week). I now have 36 weeks of experience working for an Investment Bank along with the skills I have gained along the way. I have a CV which is impossible to shorten to smaller than 4 pages due to the sheer number of qualifications I have taken.

What you need to understand is that in the current employment environment, permenant jobs are few and far between. Graduate schemes are bulging at the seams at a time where companies are desperately trying to cut staff and pull money from budgets. Add into the mix that employers are adverse to taking on applicants with no industry experience.

Working as a contractor for 2 years is a perfect alternative, as they are not an official resource for companies and they don't have to bother about health insurance, pensions etc. I am on a 6 month rolling contract, which if I prove my worth is renewed. If I don't, I go back to FDM to search for a new job.......but I still get my basic salary (18k). I don't understand why you are all complaining about a 2 year contract and being "locked-in". In this market I would love to be guarenteed a job for 2 years in a field I want to work in, it's definitely much better than claiming JSA. Plus if you are not placed, after 3 months (I think) you can walk away from your contract and take all the skills with you.

I went on the scheme with 14 other potential trainees, all of which have jobs, all working for investment banks (most in London). The person who sits behind me, also from FDM, has just come to the end of the scheme and has been offered £45,000 permenant role.

These are the facts about FDM from someone who has actually experienced it. Choose to believe it or not, I'd be happy to send you my CV.

If all else fails you can always join the Army.