My placement year at FDM

Mara Leigh is a placement student studying International Development at the University of Leeds. Keen to take a year out of her studies, she joined FDM to gain hands‑on work experience in a corporate role before graduating – particularly with the graduate job market the way it is at the moment. As she crosses the halfway point of her placement year, she shares her experience of the last seven months at FDM, reflecting on how much she’s learned.

“I joined FDM as an Alumni Project Coordinator in 2025. My role focuses on supporting the development and delivery of alumni engagement initiatives. A typical day at work includes planning and delivering alumni communications, managing contact and engagement data, and supporting events and campaigns aligned with key career milestones. I also work with the sales and recruitment teams to connect alumni to experienced career opportunities at FDM.

The best part of my role is getting to speak to so many people with such diverse experiences. Building and maintaining relationships is something I genuinely enjoy. I am also proud of the foundations we have laid towards building a mentoring programme for alumni, and look forward to seeing it grow under the next placement student.

My time at FDM has helped me understand what I’ll be looking for in a role when I leave university next year: I’ve genuinely enjoyed the strategic side of project coordination and community engagement, as well as the people‑centred nature of my role.

Here are ten things I’ve learned during my placement year, both through my work and through conversations with FDM Alumni:

1. Not all career journeys are linear, and pivoting is normal. Ex‑FDMers have such diverse experiences – career twists, surprise promotions, and unexpected relocations – I’ve loved hearing about people’s lives.
2. Community building is rewarding. Strong communities underpin much of international development work, so the engagement aspect of my role will directly support how I approach project proposals in my degree.
3. Organisation and prioritisation are essential. Or, more accurately, my to‑do list has saved me more times than I’m willing to admit publicly…
4. Coming from a social sciences background has not been a barrier to working in the tech industry. My International Development degree has equipped me with skills such as strong data literacy through monitoring and evaluation work, and the ability to communicate effectively with people from a wide range of cultural and professional backgrounds.
5. Learning how to implement AI effectively has transformed how I approach admin tasks. Using AI has automated repetitive processes and streamlined information gathering, giving me more time to focus on conversations with alumni.
6. You can stay involved in university extracurricular life as a placement student. I serve on the Rowing Club committee and still attend university events – staying in Leeds has helped me feel connected to that community.
7. Active listening is one of the most important professional skills. Whether it’s a consultant sharing their journey or a colleague offering guidance, listening builds relationships and trust.
8. Data plays a key role in storytelling. Engagement trends, alumni responses, and project feedback all reveal what people value – and where to focus next.
9. Asking questions and staying curious really does help. Tasks that once felt daunting now feel natural – one day you realise you’re doing things without Googling them first.
10.  Mistakes are part of the process. As someone brand new to project coordination, learning from mistakes has been one of the most productive ways to find better approaches.

I’ve gained so much valuable experience from working with colleagues across the business – whether by guiding me through my first steps in the fast‑paced world of tech or cheering me on as I hone my darts skills in our lunch breaks (spoiler: they still need some work). The people I’ve had the privilege of working alongside have helped me grow my confidence and make the most of every opportunity that’s come my way.

My favourite memory from my time at FDM so far is the Returners Event we ran – it was great to meet alumni in person and hear from some amazing keynote speakers – I really enjoyed organising an engaging and meaningful event.

This summer, I am heading out to Tanzania for an internship at the Mo Dewji Foundation. I am looking forward to combining the project coordination skills I have gained in my year at FDM with the principles of my International Development Degree. I will be assisting with academic research to inform project design, and working on their programmes across Healthcare, Water, and Education. I will then be returning to university in September to complete the final year of my degree.”