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Why choose the FDM Software Testing Graduate Programme?
As a Software Tester you will improve quality and reduce risk throughout the whole Software Development Lifecycle. Your work will prevent live incidents, which, depending on the purpose of the software, could cause significant reputational damage, financial loss or even, in extreme cases, loss of life.
We will provide you with several weeks of industry-recognised accredited training, giving you the skills and confidence to launch your career as a Software Tester. Once trained, you will be deployed as an FDM Consultant to work with our clients, where you will gain valuable commercial experience with some of the most prestigious names in business.
We have several employee support programmes designed to help you throughout your career journey with us, including wellbeing and mentoring initiatives, in addition to learning and development support. Find out more here.
What you’ll do on the Software Testing Graduate Programme at FDM
Starting with the fundamentals, you will learn how to write and execute tests, assess and manage risks, report results and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of seniority throughout the development lifecycle. You will also learn the fundamentals of Java programming, that will allow you to work with test automation tools and frameworks, such as Selenium Webdriver and Cucumber.
You will learn how to successfully test in both Waterfall and Agile environments, giving you experience with different working methodologies. To certify and validate your new skills, FDM also offers you access to the ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level qualification.
Once on-site, you will work in fast-paced digital environments supporting projects that deliver innovative new features and software across mobile and web, from both a functionality and user experience perspective. You could be testing anything from self-service checkout machines and software for retailers, regulatory reporting systems for global banks, advertising scheduling systems for large media organisations, vehicle diagnostic applications for the automotive industry and much more.
Software Testing career prospects
A career in Software Testing is incredibly versatile and offers fantastic career progression opportunities, either in a technical or business role. Taking on a business-focused role will see you fulfilling the duties of a project manager but specifically managing the test process e.g. managing testing budget and timescales for a project, writing test plans and strategies, assigning testing tasks to testers and more. A technical role often requires a deeper knowledge of programming languages and other bespoke technologies.
Here are just a few of the possible paths you could pursue:
- Test Lead
- Test Manager
- Programme Test Manager
- Head of Testing
- Test Automation Engineer
- Operational Acceptance Testing Engineer (OAT)
- Security Testing Engineer
Key skills for a Software Test Analyst
- Analytical mindset to identify the variety of different tests that could be run to validate specific functionality
- Curiosity to think of a range of approaches that could be used to break the software
- Professional pessimism to see the negative aspects of software no matter how high in quality it seems
- Attention to detail to identify defects that others couldn’t
What our consultants say
Ben Cullerton
Senior Developer
University of Hull
5 years ago, I would never even have imagined I would be working in IT, let alone developing software actively used by thousands of people daily. In my role, I write code as part of the FDM Scrum Team on client site, allowing users to easily incorporate new information onto the platform and prevent invalid data from appearing on the register. FDM helped my career hugely.Working in IT is a far more varied and interesting field, and I don’t think I would have had the skills or gained the experience without FDM and its clients.
Maha Mohamed
QA Lead
University of Westminster
Throughout my time at FDM, I have worked in several roles. I started my role as a Test Lead at a major bank and worked on multiple projects – one of them involved the bank’s mobile banking app. I effectively led a team to ensure the migration of the gateway applications to the cloud was fully tested and delivered on time to meet the release deadline. I also worked as a Software Tester at the world’s specialist insurance and reinsurance market, where I was given great insight into the operations of the business and specifically understanding syndicates, prices and broker risks.Today I am a QA Lead at a trading company, working across multiple projects and driving quality gates.
Jakveer Basi
Alumni
Coventry University
When working as an IT Consultant during his time at FDM, he was responsible for testing the company’s iOS and Android Apps for bugs and defects in Development and Production environments. He also tested new features before they were released to ensure they met our quality standards and definition of done. “FDM enabled me to pursue a career in tech, which seemed daunting after leaving university with an unrelated degree. FDM also strengthened my interview skills and all-round communication”.
Do you qualify for the Software Testing Graduate Programme?
Do you think you’ve got what it takes to pursue a career as Software Test Analyst? At FDM, we’re looking for ambitious graduates with a passion for business and technology to join the team. We accept candidates from all universities and there’s no need for any prior experience or a STEM background! We also ask that you are:
- 2:2 honours degree or higher
- Eligible to work in the UK
- An excellent communicator
- Able to commit to a two-year contract upon completion of the training
- Open to re-locating nationally based on project specifications and client requirements
Want to find out more about a career in technology? Join us at one of our upcoming online events. Click here to find out more.
Application process
Apply online
Simply submit your application and CV here to kick-start your FDM journey.
Telephone interview
A member of the FDM recruitment team will call you to discuss the programme and your career goals. This is also a great opportunity for you to ask us any questions you might have and get a feel for FDM. Check out our blog for top tips for a telephone interview
Video interview
During the video interview, we will ask you some questions to get to know you better. This can be completed from your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Please see our blog for more information.
Assessment Centre
This stage involves an FDM Introduction presentation, followed by three strength-based interviews. The interview will be a strength-based interview and will focus on your ability and potential rather than previous experience. This is also your chance to meet the other graduates you could be training with and find out more about the programme.
Join the FDM Software Testing Graduate Programme
Support and Development
Our support programmes, graduate schemes, and development initiatives are catered to help you at every stage of your journey, from graduate to Software Tester.
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