Jack Dingley: BA (Hons) Business Management with Enterprise and Innovation 2010-2013; Business Development Manager, Tech Data

15 Mar 21

“Winchester allowed me to open my eyes to the rest of the world. I made friends with a lot of exchange students and that’s where my love of travel stemmed from. You can do absolutely anything you want after university – it feels like the doors are closed when it is over; it’s as though the bubble has burst but no one can take your degree away from you, especially the memories. My friends and I are extremely proud of attending Winchester”.

Jack Dingley went from studying at Winchester to taking a sabbatical on the other side of the world. After graduating with a Business Management with Enterprise and Innovation degree in 2013, Jack was unsure about his next career move. However, after speaking with a recruiter and with his degree skills, Jack found work at Tech Data, a company he has been with for nearly eight years.

“When I graduated in 2013 it hit me like a brick wall. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or what I should do. My degree didn’t give me direction like some might – it was very broad. I spoke to a recruiter and landed a job at a tech company called Tech Data. I am lucky in some ways as at the time, I had no clue who Tech Data were, only to find out they are a global tech giant on the fortune 500.

Jack credits his degree for helping him find work with Tech Data, particularly at the start of his career.

“My degree was definitely beneficial in my initial job search. My hiring manager was impressed with my educational background and as I progressed, it opened doors for me along the way. Rightly or wrongly, these were perhaps doors that may have not necessarily been open for others.”

Jack is proud to have developed his career in the tech industry into his current role as a Business Development Manager, a position he has been in for just under a year. Alongside this, he has realised that a real passion of his lies in sports therapy and injury prevention. A profession that Jack would love to explore.

“In terms of the immediate future I’m happy where I am; I’m just under a year into my current role and I would like to keep growing both professionally and personally. Sustained growth is important to me”.

Jack took part in a wide range of sports activities while studying at Winchester and has continued to enjoy these since graduating. He says that having hobbies outside of his career has been very beneficial to his work/life balance.

“I played football throughout my school and university days – it was my sport growing up – but I’ve been playing rugby since graduating. I’ve found my interests outside of work have often been used as great ice-breakers with customers and colleagues – it helps others to build up an understanding of who you are as a person and subsequently, trust”.

“It could be any pastime, but it is great to discuss things about yourself, let people know who you are, especially in interviews. At the end of the day, you’re going to get hired on who you are as a person, not necessarily what’s on the piece of paper. I absolutely love travelling and sports, so it has been a tough ride during lockdown.”

Taking part in sports at university also gave Jack a social life and a break from his studies.

“Sport has been a brilliant way for me to balance out my work and personal life. It is important to have things going on outside of work and at university. They gave me a break, a social life and a competitive edge which I loved as well.”

Through working at Tech Data, Jack was given the opportunity to take a sabbatical and to travel to the East coast of Australia. He travelled up the East coast from Sydney to Cairns and all the way back down to Melbourne. This is where his love for Australia developed and led him to pursue a life and career in Sydney.

“Four years into my professional work life, I realised something was missing. I wanted to experience the world, far more than I had done anyway. I decided to take a sabbatical from Tech Data and fly to Australia on my own with a single backpack. I also spent some time travelling South East Asia later on, cliché I know! When I returned to the UK and back into the routine of life, I quickly realised that it wasn’t for me. I decided to do everything I possibly could to find employment through Tech Data in their Sydney office. After months of trying and late Skype calls due to the different time zones, I managed to secure a contract working for Tech Data ANZ based out of their Sydney office. An absolutely dream result”.

“I lived and worked in Sydney for eight months and had the most incredible time doing so. I experienced so much and worked with an amazing team who were so welcoming. The work/life balance was spot on. I have since returned to the UK and taken on a new role within Tech Data UK”.

Jack has many good memories from his three years at Winchester. His first day arriving on campus and moving into halls is a time he’ll always remember fondly.

“My best memory is from my first year and first day at uni, meeting my flatmates in halls and everything else that comes with that. I’m sure you can imagine! I made lifelong friends in Alwyn. We worked hard and played harder”.

“I found my love of learning first time at university. I’d never felt that before and I have taken that with me ever since. Ironically, I’d say you do most of your learning once you leave the educational system. I haven’t stopped learning and I never want to stop. Learning is key to growth in all aspects of life. University gives us the tools and it’s our responsibility to apply those”.

Having worked hard for his degree, Jack says studying at Winchester gave him the confidence to learn and make new friends with people from around the world. This is where he says his love of travel came from.

“Winchester gave me confidence; hard work is worth it. School never came easy to me. I wasn’t the kind who consumed information from a whiteboard or textbook and came top of my class in a 10 question test. I had to get my head down and study. I had to learn, relearn and then learn again. That was just my way, but it worked out okay for me in the end. The long nights slumped over my laptop were worth it. If you can apply yourself and try and be the best possible version of yourself, you’ll be great”

With a wide range of interests in sports and travel and having worked abroad since graduating, Jack has some insightful advice for those thinking about their next career move.

“You have got to enjoy what you’re doing, whether that’s working in a coffee shop, working for a corporate giant or baking cakes for a living. You will only want to get better at something you want to do, so if you aren’t happy doing it, you will never get better and grow. Unfortunately, money does make the world go around. However, money doesn’t necessarily equal happiness, not for everyone anyway. Find what you love, do it well, give it your absolute best and you’ll be great for it.”

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