Jez Brooks

Jez is currently a Professional Development Manager for IBM UK's graduate, student and apprentice programmes. This isn't where he envisaged his career ending up when he started at University in the 80s. He studied Biology with Oceanography at the University of Southampton, UK, and went on to complete a Ph.D. in marine biology. Having discovered there were not many pearls in UK oysters and no impending fortune to be made in scientific research, he sought more long term, permanent employment elsewhere. He joined Royal Insurance (later RSA) as a graduate trainee IT Specialist. He focused on email, messaging and specifically Lotus infrastructure before joining IBM in 2002 as a Service Delivery manager. Jez led teams for a number of years providing technical support services to several large outsourcing accounts, before he changed career path to join IBM’s graduate programme in 2006 as a development manager.

Jez has led the IBM gap year scheme for the last couple of years, before taking on the lead role during 2013 for the company’s award winning Apprenticeships. He now helps IBM attract, recruit and develop some of the brightest talent around. Outside of IBM, Jez lives his sporting endeavours vicariously through his 9 year old son and 11 year old daughter. He is level 1 qualified rugby coach, and head coach for the local rugby club U10 team.