Our new blog series ‘Spotlight on Staff’ has been launched to showcase the great team we have here at Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust. 

We are keen to introduce you to the large team of fantastic staff we have across the Trust and to give you an insight into the work they do as we strive to serve our stakeholders and improve the life chances of the students in our schools.

Mark Butler, Director of Infrastructure, joins us as the next guest for Spotlight on Staff

Can you give a brief overview of your role at the Trust and some information about your career so far?

My role looks after both the Digital and Estates teams across the Trust. Our estates team work extremely hard to provide the best facilities for our students and staff to learn and work in and our Digital team work to make sure that all of the equipment, services and infrastructure in those facilities is as good as it can be.

I’ve worked in the Trust since its inception but worked at Okehampton college before that, starting in 2013. I’ve had various roles in that time from IT technician through to network manager and Trust hub IT lead to my current role. Before starting at Okehampton college I have also worked as a field scientist and lab technician at a science institute and spent many years as a farm labourer which I miss (in the summertime).

What do you enjoy most about working for the Trust?

The constant challenge. There is always something in everything we do that can be improved and we are always working as hard as we can to do that.

How would you describe your team/ people you work with?

How do you describe a team of people that constantly give their all, go above and beyond and care far more than anyone outside of our Trust can know or understand?

I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting everyone in the estates teams yet but I know the team I have met and worked with and our digital colleagues are selfless, hardworking and basically just brilliant.

What are some of the challenges that you face within the sector?

The usual – funding. We all know that education isn’t given a fair share. It is also made more difficult with the costs of everything rising seemingly every week. This funding squeeze and rising costs mean our Net Zero project is more important than ever and together with some small choices that we can make every day will make a genuine difference to the real bottom line – our students in our classrooms.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

Two things:

1. You cannot be an empathetic cynic. Pick one and don’t pick cynic.
2. You are not always right – and sometimes you are horribly wrong. Admit it and seek help.