While he was a student David took various holiday jobs including working as a tour guide at Battle Abbey, petrol pump attendant, English teacher and barman, all of which were to provide useful background experience for his future career.

On leaving college in 1978 he joined Vacation Work as an editor and author, keen to pursue his passion for writing and gap year books: David has edited Summer Jobs Abroad every year since 1980 and Summer Jobs in Britain since 1995, was one of the editors of the first edition of The International Directory of Voluntary Work and a co-author of the first edition of Work Your Way Around the World in addition to helping with editorial work on many of Vacation Work’s titles.