FDM Academy

A question about : FDM Academy

Hi.
Being a final year IT student was brought to my attention the FDM Academy training.
After a few searches on-line there are few different options of this company being a scam or not.
Anyone have any experience with them?
Thanks in advance.

Best answers:

• I went to FDM for an assessment day in their London offices back in September. Not sure what to say about them, I did do my research about them and found several posts complaning about them being a scam. I didn't find anything to prove that they wern't and did ask them about it in my interview. Needless to say, I do suspect that it did put the interviewer off that I did ask.
  I did get an insite into the whole "work for us for 2 years" rule in order to get the free training. Seemed to me that it was legit, but it is all about getting the financial backing while you are training in your specialist role.
  HTH.
• Thanks for the reply.
  Looks like will be ruled out as an option.
• Anyone got any experience with this lot?
• Two of my friends got jobs through FDM academy in two tier 1 investment banks.
  You can leave before the 2 years but you have to pay the training fee which could be something above Ј10,000 (or so they so). I'm not sure about one but the other has secured a permanent contract with the bank after his two year contract expires with FDM Academy which has worked in his favour as when he applied to directly to the bank he now works for, he was rejected at interview stage. You also could be working abroad anywhere.
• I have an interview with them on the 6th.
  After doing some research it seems you're tied into a 2 year contract not including the 3 months initial training. Also i think you have no choice and are basically working for FDM and are contracted to sites that can be in UK or EU and be expected to relocate.
• I too have an assessment / interview with them next week...
  But atm I am not sure to go or not ... basically they called me up and say out all those training are free but non-pai during those 3 months ....
  I live in Basingstoke, their training centre is in London, which would cost me around Ј36 a day for a return ticket, also atm I am not sure what is their training schedule like .... I could ended up travel back and fore everyday on train. Ј36 x 5 = Ј180 a week, times it by 12 weeks , which ended up Ј2160 traveling cost just for turning up the training course, If I find an accommodation there which likely would cost more.
  Atm I am unemployed and on JSA, sure Jobcentre plus will cover the interview cost, but during the training I am not JSA will cover those travel cost.
  Also is there a fee for drop out the training course half way?
  really cant make my mind up for whether should go for that or not
• Think very carefully about this.
  If you do not stay with them for two years...
  Quote:
• also I live quite far from the London training centre, do they covered the travel cost of that too?
• Do they guarantee that mulmul?
• I've been working as a software developer for a few years now. You should expect to be earning Ј25kish 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 Ј25k and Ј50k 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.
• 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.
• 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 Ј25K 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): https://www.fdmacademy.com/fdm-academ...ning-provider/
  HTH
  Philip
• 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.
• 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
• 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 Ј20,000 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.