Career Advice
Paul Brown
22.08.2024
Have you just finished Uni but don’t know what to do next? Choosing the right career path can be tricky. The FDM Graduate Programme is an excellent way for recent graduates to enter the job market after university. Our award-winning graduate programme provides 7- 12 weeks of comprehensive training in your chosen career path.
We offer you the opportunity to gain industry-recognised certifications in addition to the chance of being placed with our prestigious clients.
Ireland is a beautiful country to live and work in. But did you know, that if you’re an Irish citizen you automatically have the right to work in both Ireland and the UK as well as Europe?
With FDM, you’ll get the opportunity to work with our clients across Poland, France, Germany, Spain and many other locations across the UK.
Who Can Apply to the Grad Programme?
The programme is open to all recent graduates regardless of the subject of study.
What courses do we offer?
We offer two broad categories of courses:
Business Graduate Programme
Our Business Graduate Programme can help you launch a successful career in three main roles:
- Risk, Regulation and Compliance (RRC)
- Business Analysis
- Project Support Office
Risk, Regulation and Compliance (RRC)
As a Risk, Regulation and Compliance analyst, you will be a crucial asset to businesses by protecting them from exposure to fraud. The RRC analyst is a client-facing role that conducts client due diligence to mitigate financial crime risks. It also ensures that businesses meet regulatory and compliance requirements.
You will need to be an effective communicator as this role requires communicating potential risks and regulatory changes to various stakeholders who may or may not have any knowledge in this area.
You also need to be data savvy as this role requires analysing large volumes of data and interpreting them as digestible insights for clients. Being highly detail-oriented and being a natural problem solver are other transferrable skills that are required in a RRC analyst role.
On the FDM Risk Regulation and Compliance Graduate Programme, you’ll learn data visualisation, Excel and business analysis before being trained in financial risk management.
Business Analysis
A Business Analyst (BA) bridges the gap between the technical and business side of a company. The role of a BA is to analyse and document stakeholder requirements and recommend processes to achieve the best outcomes for projects. BAs are key to streamlining processes for a business and optimising efficiency and productivity.
You will need to be an effective listener to understand the requirement of multiple stakeholders and clearly communicate them to the wider organisation.
A background in data analysis and knowledge of relational databases like MySQL is also helpful in this role.
On the FDM Software Development & Engineering Graduate Programme, you will learn popular coding languages like Python and JavaScript.
Project Support Office
Project Support Officers work alongside senior project managers to plan, support and manage key projects. The role involves identifying risks and issues and ensuring that tasks are completed on time and in line with the project objectives. Key functions of the role include cutting business costs and improving efficiency.
This role is ideal for graduates with a background in business who have good organisation skills to see a project through from start to finish.
Find out more about what a Project Support Officer does on FDM’s Project Management Graduate Programme.
Technical Graduate Programme
FDM’s Technical Graduate Programme can help you launch a successful career in seven roles:
- Software Development
- Software Testing
- Robotic Process Automation
- Cloud Computing
- Technical Operations
- Data Engineering
- Business Intelligence
Software Development
A software developer delivers technology solutions based on business requirements. The role involves developing new software as well as updating existing ones. You need to have a background and passion for coding with a natural ability to find creative solutions to technical issues.
On the FDM Software Development Graduate Programme, you will learn popular coding languages like Python and JavaScript. You will also work on cloud platforms like Azure and be trained in development practices like Agile and DevOps.
Software Testing
A Software Tester works alongside the development team to test systems and applications and eliminate any issues. The role is broken down into two areas – manual and automated testing. A software tester is fundamental to the success of the software development lifecycle.
They can effectively help mitigate risks and improve product quality.
On the FDM Software Testing Graduate Programme, you will learn how to write and execute tests in Waterfall and Agile environments so you have experience in different methodologies. You will also learn to assess risks and report them to stakeholders. FDM also provides access to ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level qualification.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
RPA refers to the process of automating manual and repetitive tasks using AI and Machine Learning technology. On the FDM Robotic Process Automation Graduate Programme you’ll learn to operate RPA tools like UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Pega and BluePrism. You’ll also be trained in business requirement gathering, SQL, Excel, process mapping and business analysis.
A background in data analysis is an advantage as is an interest in automation. You also need a logical mindset and creative problem-solving skills.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing involves the storing of data and applications on computer cloud systems instead of physical hard drives. A cloud computing engineer works with cloud systems and analyses data to determine which solution is best suited to a client’s needs.
On the FDM Cloud Computing Engineering Graduate Programme you’ll learn to gather requirements for cloud environments. You’ll also learn to commission and decommission of cloud environments that are no longer required.
On the programme you’ll receive training in GCP, Azure, AWS, Python, Terraform, Ansible, and SQL. With this robust toolkit of languages, software, and platform knowledge you can be deployed on a client side for hands-on experience.
A background in web services or information security is very useful in this role. You also need to be a quick learner to pick up new skills fast.
Technical Operations
Technical Operations Analysts are involved in managing and maintaining vital IT infrastructures and finding creative solutions to tech issues. This role is at the heart of both technical and business operations.
On the FDM Technical Operations Graduate Programme you’ll learn to provide first and second-hand technical and security support to ensure that business-critical functions are always protected. You will be trained in Software Development Lifecycle and Service Management best practices using ITIL.
A background in service management can add some great transferrable skills to this role.
Data Engineering
Data Engineers analyse large volumes of data to find patterns and trends and use these insights to help businesses make informed decisions.
On the FDM Data Engineering Graduate Programme, you’ll be trained in which tools and frameworks are best suited for different situations, as well as how to conduct data analysis and draw insights from datasets. You will also learn various languages including Python, SQL, Spark and HiveQL.
Coding skills and a passion for data analysis are highly advantageous for a role in data engineering.
Business Intelligence
Business Intelligence consultants analyse raw data into meaningful insights that businesses can use to make informed decisions. On the FDM Business Intelligence Graduate Programme, you’ll learn the concept of data warehousing and review the benefits of the different data model approaches. You will also be trained to use different tools such as SSIS and Power BI and develop a strong grounding in SQL.
Experience of using databases like MySQL in addition to an interest in business are great transferrable skills for this role.
Meet Our Irish Consultants
LORCAN CAHILL
Current role: Junior Master Data Engineer
FDM offered me the chance to re-train in Robotics and Process Automation and I have now been given the wonderful opportunity of working internationally in Luxembourg.
Which University did you attend?
Dublin Institute of Technology (now Technological University of Dublin)
What was your degree?
Computer and Communications Engineering
When and why did you join FDM?
18 October, 2021. I joined FDM because I had been graduated for three years without the necessary experience to enter a tech career.
What stream did you train in?
FDM offered me the chance to re-train in Robotics and Process Automation and I have now been given the wonderful opportunity of working internationally in Luxembourg.
Tell us about your current role
This role specifically deals with managing and developing asset databases for the bank that our software company directly works for. Part of this role is performing business analysis and applying software development skills learned throughout my time in university and the FDM training programme to deliver functionality as laid out by client specifications.
ISOBEL MURRAY
Current role: Technical Project Lead
The chance to launch a career in one of the most in-demand tech fields without having a Computer Science or IT degree made me decide to join FDM.
Which University did you attend?
National University of Ireland, Galway (NUI Galway)
What was your degree?
Physics and Applied Physics
When and why did you join FDM?
October 2020. I was contacted by a recruiter from FDM on LinkedIn who told me about their upcoming Data Engineering Graduate Program and the opportunity to work with Citigroup in Belfast. The chance to launch a career in one of the most in-demand tech fields without having a Computer Science or IT degree made me decide to join FDM.
What stream did you train in?
Data Engineering
Tell us about your current role
My role varies week to week as needed, but the overall goal of the team I’m in is to deliver customised solutions to clients using cutting edge technologies. Working to help facilitate the process of my department’s migration from one platform to another has been particularly interesting to me
Join FDM’s Graduate Programme and kickstart your career in business or tech. For those looking for an immediate start check out Ireland – Graduate Business Consultant and Ireland – Junior Software Developer programmes today.
We also have courses starting in the summer of 2022. Check out:
Ireland – 2022 Technical Graduate Programme and Ireland – 2022 Business Graduate Programme