Alex Gibson
Working for this organisation has had a profound impact for me both personally and professionally. When I was 11 years old, I was in a car accident that left me teaching myself how to walk again. It was a devastating blow – I had to give up playing rugby, which I loved, and my confidence was completely knocked. For a long time, I didn’t think I was a physically capable person.
My first ‘proper’ job combined 2 of my main interests: maths and sports. I worked for Opta Sports collating rugby stats in real time for clients like sports broadcasters. I would do a mix of observing the game and shouting out code for each play (incomprehensible phrases like “Z9P10P12 comma 2!”) or inputting it into the system. It was pretty full-on but fun.
At the time, I was completing my degree in maths, with a focus on statistics, at Leeds University. After I graduated, I worked in London as a data analyst for a shipping company. I missed Leeds, however, and moved back after 2 years away.
Working for this organisation has had a profound impact for me both personally and professionally.
Shortly after, I landed a job in the NHSmail team (now NHS.net Connect). When I started, the focus was on email, but now it has grown to be the national secure collaboration service across the health and care system with a range of functionality from Microsoft 365 including Microsoft Teams. Currently, there are more than 20,000 organisations with a total of 1.8 million users signed up for NHS.net Connect.
In my role, I analyse business intelligence, assist with the collaboration licensing agreement and provide organisations with data and licensing information that helps them make better decisions and collaborate more effectively. I really enjoy it because no 2 days are the same, and I get a lot of satisfaction working in the public sector. I know when we make things more efficient, taxpayers’ money can be put to good use elsewhere in the system.
Those conversations helped to trigger a seismic shift in my life.
I realised recently how big of an impact my accident had on the rest of my life, and I reached out for help with our employee assistance programme. I was able to speak with a counsellor and those conversations helped to trigger a seismic shift in my life.
Since then, I’ve set myself goals and reconnected with sport. I had a season playing wheelchair rugby league with Leeds Rhinos, and now regularly play badminton and go running. The experiences of the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and Great North Run were incredible, and things I previously never thought I'd be able to do.
I can now look to the future with a genuine feeling of positivity.
My work life has also benefitted – my ability to do my job well has grown alongside my confidence, and I can now look to the future with a genuine feeling of positivity.