People like you

OU student wins award

In 2009, Natalie Rowles – a healthcare support worker in continuing care at Gwent Healthcare Trust – was joint winner of the Nursing Standard Healthcare Assistant of the Year award, sponsored by the OU–RCN Strategic Alliance.

Julie-Anne Howard, Trainee Social Worker

My employer offered sponsorship for the social work degree programme with Open University. It has been a gradual process beginning with the Health and Social Care Certificate. Since then the time has flown and now I am a final year social work student.

Karen Boyd - Social Work Student of the year

OU student Karen Boyd, who has just completed a BA in Social Work, collected her award at a ceremony in Glasgow at the Scottish Association of Social Work (SASW) Awards.

Amanda and Pat, studying for a social work degree

Pat and Amanda have supported each other throughout the course. They meet every week to study together and have been able to pull each other through the tough times.

Onward and upward

I got married last weekend, I recently turned 50, and I got my dream job as a nurse in July! So my life really has changed completely

Jasmina Banicek

The OU way of learning looked flexible and feasible and so it proved – and it was affordable! I began with Understanding Health and Social Care (the updated course is An introduction to health and social care) and now, a few years later, I have a BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care.

Alan MacDonald

I decided to study with the OU because I wanted a second career. I'd been in the Army since I was 16, but in my mid 30s I decided I would leave when I was 40 and knew that if I wanted to do something else, I'd need qualifications.

The Open University changed my life

“It’s easy to sum up the value of my Open University degree – I wouldn’t be in my post without it. In that respect the OU changed my life!"

David Jennings
Operations manager for the Over 18s Support Intervention Team
at Brighton & Hove City Council