Matthew Dodgson is the Network and Comms Team Leader for Middlesbrough College.
His team are responsible for managing the wired and wireless infrastructure across all campuses which includes firewalls, Wi-Fi, telecommunications and switching or as Matt puts it himself:
“Pretty much any IT that you cannot physically see, we look after!”
Matt said: “After leaving school I did a Level 3 BTEC in IT Networking and Hardware right here at Middlesbrough College. From there I applied for a summer job with the IT department, which involved installing new PC’s and making sure all IT was ready for the new academic year the following September. As this was a temporary summer job, I was looking for something more permanent. Luckily, an apprenticeship role opened up within the team, I applied to it and was successful in application. I’ve been here since, moving around the team and gaining experience in all areas, moving from the helpdesk team, to first line support, into more backend network and server-based environments. I was more interested in the networking side of IT, and the college was brilliant in giving me the opportunity to expand my knowledge with networking and infrastructure.”
Matt has worked here for 9 years and his role has changed a lot. Matt started off as an apprentice, then moved onto an IT technician role. Following this he became a Network and Comms Engineer, and most recently moved into the senior role of Network and Comms Team Leader.
Matt said: “I love the environment of the College, it’s very fast paced and challenging. Everyone in the college is very friendly, and I’ve built some long-lasting friendships working here. It is also an extremely flexible place to work. A couple of years ago when I was touring with my band, the college were supportive enough to change my contract to hourly paid, and I was able to continue working at the college while touring the UK and Europe!”
“Middlesbrough College is a great place to work and an even better place to begin your career! Management are very supportive, and there’s always new opportunities.”
“Having been through a Level 3 BTEC with the college myself, I gained many skills which I have later used in my job. Studying computing at Middlesbrough College is a fantastic place to start if you’re thinking about joining a university or taking up an apprenticeship! Don’t be afraid of the whole “IT stereotype”. The people on my course weren’t “geeky” and neither are the people I work with. My role involves a lot of manual tasks that are actually really fun!”
“In my spare time I play drums in a band. We have played Glastonbury, Texas, Reading and Leeds, and many UK festivals! I’m also a trail runner, and last year completed a 62-mile ultra-marathon.”