FDM Consultant Mentor Training Program

What is the FDM consultant experience really like?

Our new FDM Consultant Mentor Training Program empowers FDM consultants to mentor the next generation of tech talent.

For over 30 years FDM has been dedicated to providing thousands of graduates around the world the skills, guidance and support to fast-track their career development.

We are always looking for ways to improve the consultant experience and raise awareness of careers in tech. So we launched a program this year to further upskill our consultants who are keen to give back to university communities and inspire more students to pursue exciting tech careers.

The FDM Consultant Mentor Training Program is born

We recently piloted our first FDM Consultant Mentoring Training Program in Australia to equip FDM consultants with the tools and knowledge to share their experiences in one-on-one mentoring with students from our partnered universities, helping them navigate their study and career journey. 

As with any skill, the best mentors have been well trained. FDM was fortunate to have our University Partnerships Manager, Sophie Zdenkowski, onboard to prep our first mentor consultant, Elijah Esmero.

After studying Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering at UNSW Elijah worked as an engineer then as a project manager in the renewable energy industry.

We talked to Elijah, now an ETL Developer with a Big 4 Bank, about his journey from trainee to mentor.

Why did you decide to join FDM?

I wanted to make a career change into tech and build a strong foundation through formal training.

What stream did you train in?

Software Development.

What does your company position currently entail?

Developing and maintaining infrastructure for big data processes in their Risk Treasury Finance division.

What impact has FDM had on your career and personal development so far?

FDM has allowed me to break into the tech industry without investing in another degree and, at the same time, placed me in a role that would have been extremely difficult on my own. In terms of personal development, the training experience and opportunities such as mentoring and assisting in workshops, have built up my confidence in myself while also providing me with invaluable insight as to where I want to take my career next.

Why did you decide to undertake the FDM Consultant Mentoring Training?

I remember feeling very intimidated at the prospect of getting a job in my field of study during university, especially since my degree required 90 days of industrial training to graduate. Since I really enjoy talking and sharing stories with people, I thought what better way to put my past struggles to good use than to share it with the future generation, so that they might learn a thing or two and maybe make their future a little less scary.

How did you find the FDM Consultant Mentor Training?

It was very insightful and practically useful. Sophie is a very engaging speaker and her deep knowledge and experience when it comes to mentoring really comes through. The sessions were well structured and had just the right amount of content to provide all the most important points while not requiring much time commitment.

Describe your experience with the university mentoring program so far?

It has been an absolute pleasure being a mentor so far, each session has been interesting and fun. While the main purpose of the sessions is to share experiences that my mentee can learn from, I feel like I am also learning more about myself. I also have to thank my mentee for being very organised with agendas and schedules, making it easy for me to work around full-time work hours.

Of course, the mentor/mentee relationship is two-sided – let’s hear from Elijah’s mentee, Vivian Wang:

What are your career aspirations?

As a first-year, there’s definitely still a lot for me to explore, but I would love to work in technical roles, such as software engineering and full-stack development, or with innovative tech, such as AI/ML. Ultimately, I hope to be able to develop and apply my skills in a fulfilling way throughout my career.

How has your mentor and the mentoring program helped you so far?

Before the program, I did not know much about the industry, but I’ve been able to explore and gain more insight about it, thanks to my mentor.

He’s helped me bring out my full potential, gain confidence and provided great advice for interviews, internships, job-hunting, university life and more. I’ve also learnt and developed many new applicable skills during the program and grown professionally. 

FDM is committed to trainees’ success and wellbeing

The Mentor Program, upskilling and empowering our consultants to inspire the next generation of tech talent, is just one of the ways that FDM supports graduates on every step of their journey.

We have a wide range of support and engagement initiatives focusing on 5 key themes; In-Touch, Thriving, Aspiring, Growing and Community, with diversity and inclusion integrated throughout all we do.

• A virtual platform to connect and socialise with each other
• Monthly virtual events to connect with our people and ensure everyone feels a part of the FDM community
• Our consultant experience partners regularly check in to promote wellbeing and provide career guidance
• Employee engagement surveys so we can better understand your views and respond to needs
• Online learning and development with virtual training sessions, webinars and discussions
• Employee led resource groups to support and raise awareness around specific shared characteristics
• And more…

Kick-start your own tech career with award-winning training and industry-leading support – find out more or apply for The FDM Graduate Program here.

Interested in joining our FDM Consultant Mentor Training Program?

Our aim is to have a wider pool of FDM consultants who are interested in sharing their experiences through one-on-one mentoring with students from our partnered universities.

We are looking for passionate FDM consultants with a desire to help and develop undergraduates as they navigate their study and launch careers in tech.

Are you able to commit a little of your personal time to this exciting program? As an FDM consultant mentor, you will receive training and support from FDM which will enable you to share your experience and insights confidently and upskill you professionally.

Training is provided over 3, 1-hour modules and will help you:

• Gain the relevant knowledge and skills needed to support and give advice to your partnered mentee

• Understand your role as a mentor, how to engage your mentee, open and guide conversations

• Speak confidently about your own professional experiences

• Access to ongoing support from FDM as you navigate this experience

If you’re interested in taking part – please reach out to a member of the Recruitment Team.

Photo by Yan Krukov from Pexels