Ex-Forces Career Programme
A civilian career for ex-forces personnel
Designed for service leavers of any rank
The Ex-Forces Career Programme has been tailored to support those who would like to begin a new career in the technology industry. Choose from a wide variety of specialist roles, while receiving the training required to secure an entry-level position.
Industry-recognised training
We provide you with up to 14 weeks of fully funded training through the FDM Virtual Academy. You will then undergo live project experience with leading companies, across a variety of industries. We will support you through the entire process, from instructor-led training, to interview preparation and ongoing mentorship.
The programme will help you build the foundations for a rewarding career in the technology sector. After successfully completing the training, you will have the opportunity to work in a selection of roles across the Software Development Lifecycle.
During the training, you will gain skills in:
Software Development
Software Testing
Business Intelligence
Salesforce Developer
TechOps
Risk, Regulation and Compliance
Cloud Engineering
Data Engineering
Project Management
Robotic Process Automatic
Business Analysis
Salesforce Analyst
A variety of roles across Business and Tech
Whether you’re designing a new app as a software developer, assessing the strength of an online banking tool, or working as a project manager, the options are endless:
The skills you’ll need:
A career that grows with you
The FDM Programme is designed to build your portfolio of commercial experience, laying a solid foundation for a successful career. FDM Consultants go on to secure permanent opportunities with our clients. Alternatively, they can continue their FDM journey as a Senior Consultant, taking part in projects across a selection of roles in varying industries.
FDM Insight Days
Our regular insight events are structured to help you make an informed career decision. Talk to our team about your next big step.
Find out everything you need to know about the programme in your digital booklet.
What our consultants say
Adam Niedojadlo
Business Analyst in Banking/Finance
British Army, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Corporal
Adam joined the British Army at 16 as an Aircraft Technician (mechanical) and worked on a variety of Helicopters and Unmanned Aviation Systems around the world. He then undertook the Aircraft Engineering Managers Degree course and gained a distinction. After 13 years with the army, he decided to leave service and travel around the world for 4 years. After he returned to the UK, Adam assessed his options and found FDM. He now works for a major banking institution within Group transformation, Risk Value, Risk and Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) as part of the Mission Control and Data Systems team. Adam was employed as a Business Analyst but also works in the Reporting and Analytics space.
David King
Associate Security Engineering in Finance
Royal Navy, Lieutenant, Warfare Officer
David King left the armed forces in 2018 after four years as a Warfare Officer in the Royal Navy. During his time in the Navy, he was deployed on disaster relief incidences relating to the Caribbean migrant crisis response in the Mediterranean and worked on Trident submarines. David was invited on both the Advanced Course for Project Managers and the Developer course and opted for the Software Developer stream. He later found that, given his operational experience in the Armed Forces, he was most interested in DevOps roles. He successfully secured a role at a well-established investment management and financial services organisation in the Cybersecurity DevOps Engineering department. David has now worked in their security platforms team for two years and has transferred into a permanent role.
Aidan Hayers
Project Manager within the Ministry of Defence
Royal Corps of Army Music, Drummer
Aidan served in The Royal Corps of Army Music for 5 years and was medically discharged from the military at the end of April 2022. He then worked as an exam invigilator for a couple of months before joining FDM in June 2022. Aidan took part in the FDM Ex-Forces Careers Programme specialising in business, developing skills in Business Analysis and Project Management. He has also managed to transfer many of the skills that he learnt within the military into his role as Project Manager. For example, the importance of discipline and respect, as well as good communication, organisation, the ability to adapt and experience within a leadership role.