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Contact the OU Careers Advisory Service

Current or former students (within last 3 years)

If you are currently studying with the OU or studied with the OU within the last 3 years, you can request careers help in the following ways:

  • You can join careers forums we run throughout the year on topics of interest to OU students and get your question(s) answered by a careers adviser as well as support from fellow students.
  • You can use our dedicated email service to have your careers query answered quickly.
  • You can contact a careers adviser in your region or nation to request a careers consultation.

For information about what to expect from a careers consultation and how best to prepare for one, see our Careers Consultation page.

Please note: If you are an OU student based overseas, studying full time through one of our partner organisations and not assigned to a regional or national centre, you will not be able to contact a Careers Adviser by email from this website. Our partners provide certain services directly to students. Please contact your partner organisation for further information.

Prospective students or former students (over 3 years ago)

We can refer you to careers information to help you decide what to study at the OU. When you start studying with the OU you will have access to the full range of support offered by the OU Careers Advisory Service. Meanwhile, if you are not studying with the OU or are a former OU student from over 3 years ago and you require more in-depth careers guidance, please go to the following resources:

England
National Careers Service

Wales
Careers Wales

Scotland
My World of Work

Northern Ireland
Careers Service Northern Ireland

Republic of Ireland
There is no national adult careers guidance service in the Republic of Ireland. There are a number of agencies currently involved in educational and careers guidance at a local level. In the current economic climate, priorities may have been set to deal with those who are unemployed and seeking support. You should therefore contact agencies in your local area and establish what level of service may be available to you. These sources of guidance may be helpful:

  • If you are currently studying, you may be able to contact a careers adviser or guidance counsellor in your institution.
  • AONTAS, the national adult learning organisation, provides information on contacts for sources of educational guidance.

Employers

Whether you wish to recruit OU students, advertise your current vacancies or simply offer us feedback, see services for employers.

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Enquiries about OU study

Please follow this link if you have more general questions about OU study choices.

I had a very positive experience with my careers adviser. I was able to talk through my career and what direction I might want to take. She was also very helpful when I contacted her for specific advice relating to a job application. Her feedback was apt, concise and friendly. Throughout this process she had clearly gained a good understanding of me and sent any relevant career opportunities my way, including the advert for my current job

OU student