"Your salary is at their full discretion" summary of FDM contract
Pros
The only good thing is that you will have work experience from a blue chip company on your CV
Cons
1. The training contract makes you liable to pay £20,000 if you don't finish your 2 years commitment with them. The breakdown of the cost is in such a way that the first 2 weeks of SQL and Unix training already sums up to around £18,000. Hence, you are practically hooked. 2. Trainers are not as competent as you might think. Some of them are recent graduates who finished their training. 3. The aim is to get you out working and making money from you even if you didn't finish your full training, but you are still liable for the training fees. 4. We all work to earn a living. If you read the Permanent contract, it clearly states that you will be paid at any time £18,000 per year (basic salary). Any additional payment (bonuses) are at their full discretion. The bonus is a critical top up for your experience and the amount of work done by you. 5. No overtime pay - you can dream about it. Working for those blue chip companies, the latter expects you to stay long hours, even work from home at night, since they pay a huge amount for your service, but you get peanuts for 1st year and £2 increment for 2nd year 6. Don't think that you will be working in the area in which you are interested. They will sell you for whatever role you can fit in. Your career development is not of their concern. 7. Last but not the least, you will have to workout your pay by yourself. The Admin staff are arrogant and selfish. Be ready to fight with them to get what you are owed, it's not going to be a piece of cake.
