FDM is essentially a glorified recruitment company. Whilst the teachers are great and give off the impression they're the only ones who care, the training is nowhere near the value that they place on it with the agreement. Once you're through your training, the likelihood is you will be stuck in 'the pond', an area for employees without a placement yet. There is nothing to do in the pond and it is very much a case of wiling away time.
Before you complete your training you're advised to be proactive and contact account managers about positions if there's one you want. This is not the case. Account managers will contact you as and when they need you, and it can be a case of filling any position going. I only had 2 interviews for the role that I was trained for and ended up getting a role that also isn't related to that stream.
The atmosphere in the training centre is almost like being at school, being made to feel guilty about certain work or having your top button undone. Leaving one minute early is frowned upon. Whilst I understand they are getting graduates used to a working environment and trying to create standards, it's not how the world works. If you live far away, whilst you're not paying for the travel with the bursary scheme, the notion of having to travel to Leeds to sit on a computer and do nothing is pointless. It's done under the guise that you may be needed in the office for interview, but given that a majority of interviews are done by phone, or most people live within a commutable distance, it seems silly (besides, it's not like you could go out all day every day when you're not earning any money!)
The pay is terrible, but that's not what motivates me. They just make things up as they go along, there was no plan in place for moving or when you need to move, just a rough idea.
In sum, FDM are just a cattle market, where the Account Managers will only use who you need, and you will get a position based on your own skills and abilities. Unfortunately, it is only due to FDM that many doors opened for such companies. Having said that, I would never ever recommend this experience to a friend, unless there were no alternatives.
