Getting Back to Business Programme

Returners to Work

Returners to Work

Life at FDM

Our Getting Back to Business Programme in London, Leeds and Glasgow is specifically designed to bridge the gap between taking a career break and re-entering the workplace.

Our training builds upon existing experience, refreshing your skills and knowledge whilst equipping you with the confidence to return to work. As well as professional and technical training, we provide ongoing support whilst on client site to ensure you are able to start making a difference from day one.

How It Works

  • Apply to the FDM Getting Back to Business Programme.
  • Train, upskill and refresh your CV with FDM’s tailored training for returners.
  • Work on-site with prestigious industry-leading clients for a minimum of two years in a full time position.
  • Excel as you make a smooth transition back into the corporate world.

Why FDM

We equip you with:

  • Customised seven-week training course for returners.
  • Opportunity to gain PRINCE2 certification.
  • CV workshops and interview coaching.
  • Two+ years of experience working with our clients, getting your foot back in the door of the corporate world.
  • Ongoing career support and professional development.

 

 

Supporting Your Progression

FDM has a number of programmes in place to continuously support and engage our people:

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Consultant Peer Support (CPS) Programme

The CPS Programme ensures that when a new consultant is placed onsite, they are connected with a more senior FDM consultant already working with that client to help ease their transition. These CPS ambassadors provide the guidance needed to help new consultants get settled, connect with fellow FDMers in the area and prepare for their new roles onsite.

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Mentoring Programme

The Mentoring Programme brings together individuals at all levels of their career journey, from management to new starters. It provides you the opportunity to build relationships and network within FDM’s wider community by linking our consultants, alumni, trainees, internal staff and clients together.

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Employee Assistance and Mental Health First Aid
We provide a 24-hour confidential employee assistance helpline. The service provides guidance in many aspects of life including financial, relationship, addictions and mental health. FDM’s Wellbeing initiative also includes access to over 30 mental health first aiders throughout our UK centres.

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Alumni Network

FDM has launched the careers of thousands of people who make up our alumni network of talented individuals. We regularly interact and engage with our alumni community, giving past and present FDMers a network from which to build relationships, learn from others and explore opportunities with people who have had similar career experiences.

 

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Sheila Marriott, FDM Returner:

I’m glad I’m taking the program, I felt that the whole program has enabled me to get my foot back onto the career ladder and these two years has kind of given me that passion now back to develop myself and also my career.

It was nice to be placed with other people from FDM, so you don’t feel as if you’re on your own and you’re the new person.

My skill set is really matched up with the role and what they wanted from somebody.

I’m a mum and I can also have a career as well and it just also allows you to have that confidence in yourself that you are able to juggle everything.

Two years have just flown past; to me it still feels like I’m in my first year. I can’t believe where the time is gone, it’s not as bad as you think it’s gonna be.

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Career Opportunities

The Getting Back to Business programme consists of a special seven-week training pathway that refreshes existing knowledge and builds upon previous leadership and management experience. This programme will prepare you for roles within project support or project management, business analysis or risk, regulation and compliance teams, depending on past experience and client needs.

As a business analyst you will work with a wide range of people across the business, identifying areas of improvement and finding solutions. You will be responsible for capturing business requirements and develop a detailed understanding of processes surrounding them while contributing to the creation of business cases.

Within risk, regulation and compliance teams you would be responsible for assessing third party risk, performance, compliance and ongoing monitoring. You would do this by providing internal stakeholders and third parties with guidance on following all aspects of the third party risk programme, ensure all due diligence steps are performed and all applicable policies and procedures followed.

FDM Project Support Officers and Project Managers work with clients on the planning, management and control of key projects. These roles could involve project risk planning, critical path analysis, stakeholder management and reporting and the utilisation of Agile project delivery methods.

The Getting Back to Business Programme helped me to find what I wanted to do and provided me with a path to get there. I found each week of training rewarding and all the trainers were extremely supportive. FDM really helped me to get back to work, giving me the confidence to continue my career after taking a break to raise my family

Helen Van der Straaten, FDM Business Consultant placed at News UK

We are looking for:

  • Experienced individuals looking to return to work after an extended career break.
  • Previous experience in business analysis, project support or project management.
  • A strong aptitude and interest in business.
  • The ability to commit to a two-year employment contract with FDM once the seven-week training period is complete.
  • Individuals who are able to work in a full time role.

Join Us

Our application process:

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1. Apply online.

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2. Complete a telephone interview.

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3. Attend an assessment day at one of our centres in London, Leeds or Glasgow.

Events

There are currently no scheduled events.

Date Time Event Title Event Location

These provide you with the opportunity to find out what the Getting Back to Business Programme has to offer as well as network with the senior management team. Contact us at [email protected] to find out about upcoming events.

Contact

Ready to join our Getting Back to Business Programme? You can apply directly online here.

Still have questions? Reach out to us at [email protected] to speak to someone in our dedicated Getting Back to Business Team.

Career Stories

Initially I had hesitations applying to FDM’s Getting Back to Business Programme as I didn’t know if I had the relevant skills to return after my gap in the tech industry. Nevertheless, I decided to apply. The training was very beneficial to help me learn new skills and brush up on my old ones. All these experiences as a whole have helped me to build my confidence and have reinstated my decision to return to work in tech.

Helga Gonsalves FDM Business Consultant placed at The Home Office

I was thrilled when I was accepted into FDM’s Getting Back to Business Programme. I had not realised how much my confidence had been crushed prior to returning. The programme really helped me to change that and sharing the experience with other returners was inspiring. I feel proud of what I have managed to achieve with the help of FDM. The returners in the programme are a group of remarkable people who have so much to offer and contribute.

Suzanne Lowe, FDM Business Consultant placed at Save the Children UK

The Getting Back to Business Programme helped me to find what I wanted to do and provided me with a path to get there. I found each week of training rewarding and all the trainers were extremely supportive. FDM really helped me get back to work, giving me the confidence to continue my career after taking a break to raise my family.

Helen Van der Straaten, FDM Business Consultant placed at News UK

I took a break for several years to look after my son when my husband suddenly passed away. Initially I was scared and nervous starting the FDM Getting Back to Business Programme, but with each passing week I felt increasingly more confident and self-assured. The training was relevant and challenging, with supportive trainers and a great group of peers. I feel incredibly lucky to be a returner. FDM has given me a second chance to further develop a successful career.

Petra Sanderson, FDM Business Consultant placed at BP International Ltd.

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Adele Duero, FDM Returner:

I tried doing it by myself, applying online. I have received so many “thank you but regretfully…” and it even hurts your morale more. I feel like I’m just digging a hole for myself. I’m sinking and sinking to a point where when I receive that kind of email, I don’t even feel anything anymore. I’m like “here we go again”. I’m just numb to that. So, I know I need help and I don’t know where. I don’t know how, until I kept researching and then I saw the program with FDM, and I said that’s what I need. That’s exactly what I need.

I was so nervous. So many things were going on in my mind before I joined the program. But I think it was more on the fear of the unknown, you know like, “will I be okay, am I still capable”. What they did is they tell you that you got in because you have the abilities and you are capable. We’re here to just take the dust off of you, brighten you up a little bit and get you back again in good shape.

I noticed myself more proud to talk about what I did before and saying that I can still do it and I am capable now to do what I can and bring more to the table because of my career break, because before it was always like “oh I shouldn’t mention career break, it’s something that we should hide”. But with FDM it was more on “own it”. You learn more skills, soft skills.

You were a mom. You were good in planning, budgeting and I never realised that until it was discussed.

Do it! What’s holding you? You need this. If you are in a situation like me and like the other people that I met in that assessment day of Getting Back to Business, this is exactly what you need.

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Gordon Spalding, FDM Returner:

So, during that time, two-and-a-half years without work looking for a job now and again, it was not always really practical to take one. So that’s how I had my career break really.

FDM looked good and I came here, and I tell you the experience really has been fantastic.

In the Glasgow office itself, everyone’s made welcome. You can talk to anyone; you can ask a question about anything and you’ll get answers pretty quickly.

It’s a very positive experience. I was signed straight away. I don’t see why you wouldn’t. When you have a career break then there’s not many chances you get to get back into the world of work.

You’re going to get certificates and certified in certain areas of business and project management, and business analysis, and there’s other parts of the course which are there as well I should add, and you’ll be able to use that with FDM and the clients.

The people here are very professional, everyone you’re working with is professional. That includes the trainers, that includes the account managers, my colleagues. Everyone’s got great stories from what they did in the past and where they came from, and their past careers. So, the Getting Back to Business program, to me, has been a real eye-opener.

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Krupa Joshi, FDM Returner:

I was on a career break for around a year and half as I had to take care of my father-in-law back in India. Prior to that I was working with a HR company on a part-time basis to set up the HR operations there. And prior to that again I was on a career break.

I didn’t believe it in the beginning that there is a returners program so dedicated, so supportive, so motivating and they believed more in you than yourself. So, when I started it was a dream come true.

I was not confident at all before joining FDM because I was still in grief so I was not sure what I’m doing though I did believe that I wanted to do this and now if you see me I’m great – I’m back.

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Jennifer Holmes, Head of Getting Back to Business Programme:

Getting back to business programme is there to help professionals, predominantly women but also men, to get back into the workplace.

Lana Sidorova, FDM Returner:

The major thing that the trainer did for me was really the boost of my confidence.

Neha Agarwal, FDM Returner:

It felt good that you’re not alone. There are other people who are in the same position as you are.

Rachel Chen, FDM Returner:

When I found out that I was placed I felt really excited.

Lana Sidorova, FDM Returner:

I felt exhilarated. I felt like I was doing the right thing and all my efforts were paid off. I knew I was back in the game. I knew from there I would be just going forward.

Neha Agarwal, FDM Returner:

It’s almost 2 years since I’ve taken a break and then got a placement. I was just on top of the world.

Sheila Marriott, FDM Consultant

I was – I felt like crying, I was so overwhelmed actually but I can’t believe it was a

right role, what I wanted to do.

Yesim Shenoy, FDM Returner:

The advice I’d give to returners at work, is that it’s normal to be apprehensive. Don’t let that hold you back, just go for it. There are people here to help you, that’s what they’re for. They’re absolutely superb and you’re not on your own.

Rachel Chen, FDM Returner:

I cannot wait to start.

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Imrana Schneider, FDM Returner:

I found FDM through Women’s Network. I applied and then the following day I was contacted by a recruiter. It’s been absolutely amazing; the training has really helped me get back into work and hit the ground running. So yeah, all I can say it’s absolutely amazing and yeah, I’d highly recommend it to anybody.

They’ve been like a family to me, I haven’t got a couple of words, I’ve got more than a couple of words about FDM. Really, really amazing experience I’ve had with them. When I was coming back in the office just now it felt like coming home, so yeah, it’s really good

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Lilly Julien, FDM Returner:

I thought it was a great program actually. I applied for several returnships and the thing with returnships is they’re only six months and at the end you have no guarantee of further work, while FDM actually is a permanent contract and their Getting Back to Business Program is for two years.

It felt to me like a great opportunity to come back to work.

I know it is quite nerve-wracking and like every new thing, it is a steep learning curve, but it is a very experienced program, it works really well. Just trust in the program, work hard, and it’ll be fine.

It is a lovely, lovely team, everybody has been so nice I just could not believe my luck when I started just how nice they really are; it’s not just in the interview, it’s all the way through. 13 months in and I still, just, you know, have the same opinion as I did.

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