news 9
Taking the plunge back into education
Alex Doyle started his career in the hospitality industry having completed a degree in hospitality management at the University of Portsmouth in 1996. He quickly moved into IT and is now a senior account manager for Hampshire County Council, managing a team that looks after 535 Hampshire schools and academies
“We sell IT services to schools and they represent a very important customer base,“ said Doyle. “They have full autonomy to buy the services from wherever they wish so this is the nearest scenario to a full commercial environment within a local authority. My role is to ensure that we retain customers and resolve any problems – this can be quite challenging against the background of local authority funding reductions.“
Having recognised the significant benefits of studying for an MBA for some years, Doyle finally took the plunge last year. “An MBA is relevant to a lot of different roles at a local or global level,“ he reported a year into his studies.
“The wider understanding of the interaction and interdependence on different functions is crucial in any organisation whether it is a local council, NHS Trust, SME or multinational business.“
As an alumnus of the University of Portsmouth, Doyle benefited from a 20% discount, but there were other reasons why he chose the Portsmouth MBA. “I live locally and considered other universities in the region but the combination of the convenience and cost was compelling. Also the Portsmouth MBA is accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA) which offers students excellent resources and a vast network of AMBA alumni all over the world.“
On managing his work-study- home-life balance, Doyle said: “It had been a challenge but not impossible,“ and that some of the teaching being at weekends has meant that his work has not been severely impacted. Once he had got into his stride he found that he was able to handle the increasing calls on his time and that he had become more productive. “It helps that my wife and young family have been very understanding and supportive,“ he added.
Doyle is clear about his future prospects: “Doing the MBA has opened my mind to all sorts of opportunities that I would not otherwise have been able to
consider and given me more control over my future career.“
On what he has enjoyed the most, he said: “It has been really good to meet a group of like-minded motivated people who have similar challenges, and this has provided an excellent opportunity to compare experiences from across different industry sectors.“ With the end now in sight, he added: “I know I will have far more confidence from having successfully achieved the MBA, especially after not having been near a university for nearly 20 years.“
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www.port.ac.uk/pbscourses THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – DECEMBER 15/JANUARY 16
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