In this group you'll find a collection of aspiring student and alumni stories. If you want to share your journey with us, or feel you have an acheivement to shout about to help motivate others, email ou-stories@open.ac.uk
OU graduate calls for fairer access to European funding
An Open University Business School PhD student who graduated in May found that voluntary organisations face considerable barriers in securing European funding.
Rebecca’s thesis examines the process of a European Union funding programme in Wales and its implementation within a network context, and asks how institutional and network factors influence which organisations acquire funding. It focuses on one European programme and one project partnership that was successful in gaining funds, and details the processes and influences that determined the way in which such programmes are developed and funds are distributed.
“I found that there are certain voluntary organisations that will get funding due to how they have orientated themselves”, said Rebecca. “My call to Government as a result of my research is that they need to take into account that not all organisations are geared up in a way that will secure funding, but that doesn't mean that they can't deliver high quality outcomes. There is a huge pool of talent that Governments can use to reduce economic disadvantage, but right now the process is so complex that many organisations cannot benefit.”
When Rebecca started her research, she had been working in grant-making for the Big Lottery Fund, and previously the Arts Council of Wales. She now manages the Wales Governance Centre in Cardiff University; a job she got just before she finished her PhD which she believes was a direct result of her studies.
An Open University Business School PhD student who graduated in May found that voluntary organisations face considerable barriers in securing European funding. Rebecca Rumbul, who received her OU PhD in Business at the Cardiff graduation ceremony on 27 April, looked at how money filters down to grassroots voluntary organisations. She found that the way that government bodies ...
Alumnus scoops prestigious business award
He talks about how humbling it felt to win an award from such a prestigious organisation and the impact his MBA, the OUBS and alumni have had on the business: “The OU Business School and its alumni have been a major influence on the turnaround of the business primarily through the application of principles learnt during my MBA.”
Leadership in Corporate Responsibility
The award recognises the efforts made by Simon Hegele Logistics to engage with its local community. All the employees are able to take an extra day holiday each year to work with a charity, school or community organisation of their choice. The company has engaged with local schools and colleges, supporting students with learning difficulties by running workshops and supporting A level students in applying theory into practice as well as organising events to raise funds for charities.
Chris said, “We are a small company with only 64 employees. So our ethos, in regards to engagement with social activities, is like dropping a pebble into water, we try and generate the maximum effect with the few resources we have. We recognise the need to balance financial profit with social profit and contribute to our local community where we can. Winning the award from such a prestige organisation was a very humbling experience for me, but great recognition and a proud moment for our HR manager and all the other staff that have contributed to the company’s CSR efforts.”
Applying MBA principles
Chris joined Simon Hegele Logistics in 2007 following the successful completion of his MBA. Chris recalls that when he arrived at Simon Helege he was greeted with an unhappy customer banging on the table, a failed quality audit, a high turnover of staff and a loss making business.
The business today looks very different and Chris attributes a lot of this to the OU Business School, as he explains, “The OU Business School and its alumni has been a major influence on the turnaround of the business primarily through the application of principles learnt during my MBA. But also through the development of skills learnt by attending regular alumni events, bringing my team along to OU workshops as part of their development and further developing my own education with an accounting for strategy course.”
Having left school at 16 with a few CSEs Chris decided to join the army. Twelve years later after serving in the Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland, the first gulf war and Bosnia, he left the military but stayed in Germany and got a job with a German company.
“It was whilst I was working with this German company I recognised that my civilian career would benefit from some formal qualifications. After carrying out substantial research into different providers of management training, both German and English, I started studying with the OU in 2001. The OU was a clear choice both from the quality of their presentation, the materials and the accreditations and reputation that came with OU qualifications.”
As a regional winner Chris will go forward to represent London and South East in the UK Director of the Year Finals, taking place in October 2013.
(Chris Lima is pictured above with the awards' host Gyles Brandreth (left))
For more information:
Study with the OU Business School
Institute of Directors Awards
Posted on 16 May 2013
Chris Lima, Managing Director of Simon Hegele Logistics, has won the Institute of Directors regional Chairman’s Award for Leadership in Corporate Responsibility. He talks about how humbling it felt to win an award from such a prestigious organisation and the impact his MBA, the OUBS and alumni have had on the business: “The OU Business School and its alumni ...
OU graduate has debut collection of short stories published
Carys is no stranger to hard work – she’s an OU graduate after all, and achieved her degree while raising a family. She’s continued her passion for education and creative writing and earlier this year won The Scott Prize, an international fiction award, which means her short story collection Sweet Home is now on the bookshelves.
“It’s really hard to get a short story collection published, particularly if you are a first time author. I knew that Salt Publishing had something called the Scott Prize which they award annually for a debut collection of short stories by a writer from the UK, Ireland, USA or Australasia, and I decided to enter. I was over the moon to be shortlisted and I couldn’t believe it when I had a phone call to say I’d won.
“My book is called Sweet Home and it’s a collection of stories about families. Some of the stories are funny, some are sad and there are a couple of modern fairy tales, too.
“The book includes a stories about an old woman who builds a gingerbread house at the edge of an English village, a father who is reminded of his son as he watches the rescue of a group of Chilean miners, a mother who buys special-offer babies at the supermarket and a little boy who tries to engineer a happily ever after following the death of his sister.
The last time Platform spoke to Carys, she was working towards an MA in Creative Writing at Edge Hill University and had just won a short story competition. She says her OU studies prepared her well for postgraduate study.
“My MA went really well. I concentrated on short stories and I was lucky because one of the staff at Edge Hill is a brilliant short story specialist. My OU studies definitely prepared me for postgrad study. I think OU students have to be especially self-disciplined because they often need to study in what’s supposed to be their ‘free’ time. I developed some good study habits while I studied with the OU and I kept them up during my MA.”
Ambitious – both in terms of her writing career and her continued education, Carys is penning a novel as well as working towards a PhD.
“I’m hoping to get the first draft of the novel finished before Christmas and I’m in the second year of the PhD,” she says.
But OU study prepared her well and she’s become a master of finding time to get her work done.
“I’ve got four children and it can sometimes be hard to find the time to write, but it was also hard to find the time to study - I think if you really want to do something, you’ll do your best to make the time.
“I write in the same way that I used to study; I squeeze it into the gaps. At the moment I’m teaching on Edge Hill’s Creative Writing BA. That leaves me with two days a week when the house is quiet and I can get on with writing (although sometimes I’m interrupted by need to buy food or hoover up the detritus from four pairs of football boots).”
And her advice for current creative writing students is…
“Read lots. If you’re writing short stories ask your tutor to recommend some really good collections. My tutor was happy to do that and he actually introduced me to the work of Carol Shields who is now one of my favourite authors.
“The other thing I would say is, don’t worry if you don’t lead a very exciting life! I used to worry that I didn’t have anything interesting to offer because I’d been at home with my children for so long. Then I realised that everyone has some sort of family; I felt that I knew a lot about family, so I did have something to write about, after all.”
And what would she say to someone thinking of studying with the OU?
“Go for it! I had brilliant, supportive tutors and I enjoyed everything about the experience.”
Find out more:
Literature and creative writing courses at the OU
Creative writing with the OU
More about Carys Bray
Platform's first interview with Carys
Carys Bray graduated from the OU with a degree in Literature after three years of study and while raising four children. After winning an award for her work while doing an MA in Creative Writing with Edge Hill University, she went on to win an international fiction prize and her debut collection of short stories has just been published… Carys is no stranger to hard work ...
Open University student writes her way to the top
This book follows on from the success of her first novel, '50 Shades of Red White and Blue' - described as an hilarious Belfast-based parody of the successful Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. Published by Blackstaff Press, Leesa’s first novel is also due to hit the stage in January next year. Renowned Ulster playwright Martin Lynch will cast and produce the story at the MAC between 8-27 January 2013.
And it doesn’t stop there: Leesa now writes a regular column for the the Irish Daily Mirror. Entitled ‘Here’s Me Whaaaaa?’, Leesa charts her humorous observations about everyday life in Belfast.
Leesa claims that she would never have had the confidence to write for the public, rather than just for pleasure, if she hadn’t started studying with The Open University.
“Only recently, after becoming a mother and having some time away from work - when I say ‘work’, I mean ‘paid work’, not unpaid cook/cleaner/nappy-changer/general skivvy to my two little cherubs – did I start writing again. I have been working towards a degree in English and Literature with the OU since 2009. My last module was Creative Writing and I enjoyed every minute of it. I showed pieces I had written to strangers for the first time and it gave me the confidence to start writing for other audiences.”
Speaking about the flexible learning approach of The Open University, Leesa said “The OU allows you to study around your other commitments, giving you enough time to devote to everything in your life.”
Director of The Open University in Ireland, John D’Arcy said “Leesa’s rise to fame has been immensely satisfying to watch. The fact that the OU played a small part in that makes it all the more worthwhile.”
Mr D’Arcy continued to say that Leesa’s success should motivate people who are interested in returning to study or approaching study for the first time.
“The Open University is the UK’s only university dedicated to distance learning, and provides numerous options for students to fit in their study around work or other commitments. Over 71 per cent of OU students work full or part-time during their studies, and can access course materials on their mobile phones and tablets on the move and when suits them. Returning to study can be a big move, and The Open University provides a first class opportunity for people to develop their interests, as Leesa has demonstrated in her success.”
Find out more:
OU student Leesa Harker proves she is no flash in the pan. She recently launched her second novel, 'Dirty Dancing in Le Shebeen', in Eason's in Belfast, and signed around 200 copies. This book follows on from the success of her first novel, '50 Shades of Red White and Blue' - described as an hilarious Belfast-based parody of the successful Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. ...
Just a taster of OU study leads to degree ambitions
Through a taster session run by the OU’s community partnership scheme, at Castle Green Children’s Centre where Kerry was volunteering, she found out about Openings courses and how she could get financial assistance to study with the OU.
Discovering Openings Courses
At the taster session I met Gaynor Gardner (OU Community Partnerships Manager) and she highlighted the pros and cons of Open University study to me. We discussed my current situation, that I was studying level 2 counselling skills at my local FE College in the evenings and how I could not afford the fees for the diploma study. I found out the OU helps to support people like me and that my Openings courses would be fully funded by the OU.
Flexible study fits in with family life
My discussion with Gaynor opened my eyes to studying from home. It would mean I could fit my study in around my son who was barely two at the time and being sent to my parents while I attended college one night per week. I no longer had to alter his routine, I could work from home and attend a weekly study group with other students where I learnt study skills which built a foundation for me when writing my assignments. It was so helpful having a study group of other mature students who, like me, had slumps in study motivation. They were always there to encourage me and I was elated when I received a distinction on the Openings module Y183 Starting with Psychology.
Taking studies to the next level
Following the Openings course I am now studying towards a BSc (Honours) Psychology and have done several modules towards this degree.
An increased confidence and new opportunities
I have increased confidence in my abilities and feel happy to promote OU study wherever I go. I have been lucky enough to speak about my OU experience at the NIACE conference 2012 and at a recent Vice-Chancellor’s Lunch and publicly thank Gaynor and the OU for the support, guidance and structure they have given to my studies and my life.
I chair my local Children’s Centre Parent Forum and the Barking and Dagenham borough-wide Parent Board. Through OU study I have realised that, as a parent and a student, I have a voice.
Setting goals
I had a goal 18 months ago to become a counsellor but because of my studies and the opportunities I’ve had, I now visit the weekly study group for new OU Openings students and speak with them about how they are finding their studies and encourage them to believe in themselves as students and their work.
As a result of this work I have a new goal. Once I have completed my degree I intend to study further and become a teacher/tutor for adult learners.
Volunteering and supporting new OU students
I have just been offered the opportunity to facilitate a short training course in conjunction with a local Children’s Centre where I will be teaching parents about internet safety and cyberbullying and I will continue my studies with OU whilst volunteering in my various roles, and I will be attending the weekly study groups at Castle Green Children’s Centre to speak with the new students and give them the encouragement and guidance that I received. My fellow students from Dagenham (where the children’s centre is based) have become an extended family and we are all there to support one another and this is what we like to encourage in all new students.
Support during your studies
My greatest challenge was earlier this year when my mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer She became very ill very quickly and passed away 12 weeks after diagnosis. Around this time I was completing two modules DSE141 and SDK125 and I was due to start D240. I had end of module assignments to submit and an exam date for SDK125. Student services gave me such wonderful support, deferring my exam so I was able to spend precious time with my parents and sibling in my mums final days. My biggest fear was that I would be in an exam room far away when she passed away and thanks to student support I was able to be with her and concentrate on making her comfortable instead of cramming for an examination. My tutors were brilliantly supportive granting me extensions on assignments, This is where I feel OU differs from other higher education establishments as I doubt I would have been able to continue studying elsewhere. I feel this was also my greatest success as I was able to complete all three modules.
Find out more:
Thanks in part to donor support, Kerry Nichols began studying with the OU on a fully funded Openings Course in 2011 and is now on the way to achieving her degree. She always had a desire to learn but the cost of studying was holding her back. Through a taster session run by the OU’s community partnership scheme, at Castle Green Children’s Centre where Kerry was ...
Video: OU graduates share their top study tips...
OU graduates share their top study tips...
OU graduates share their top study tips... 2.666665 Average: 2.7 (6 votes)
Video: What graduates would say to someone thinking of OU study...
The Platform team asked graduates what they'd say to someone who was thinking of studying with the OU. Find out what our fully-robed grads said as we chatted to them during a degree ceremony at The Barbican, London, in September 2012...
The Platform team asked graduates what they'd say to someone who was thinking of studying with the OU. Find out what our fully-robed grads said as we chatted to them during a degree ceremony at The Barbican, London, in September 2012... 2.5 Average: 2.5 (4 votes)
Waste not, want not: from disruptive at school to career success story
While he was at school Rob Sharpe thought he was like any other “normal, boisterous teenager” – but his teachers thought otherwise. Despite having an interest in science, Rob, now 42, was considered disruptive by the school and he was persuaded not to return to the sixth form. As a result, he decided to move from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, to the bright lights of the capital.
After taking up a job as a motorcycle courier for a merchant bank, however, Rob decided that London life wasn’t for him and returned home. A series of “dead-end” jobs followed, but he kept having a nagging feeling about returning to education and decided to take up the OU’s Science foundation course (S102). “I saw things about the OU and thought ‘that would fit – I can keep paying the bills and get the education’,” said Rob. “I can remember being very nervous, thinking that only clever people passed degrees. But it was really a case that I had to do it or I would end up doing dead-end jobs.”
At that point, Rob was struggling financially, which meant that he was entitled to support for paying his fees. “I can’t see where I would have got the money from to pay for the courses if it wasn’t for those support grants,” he recalled. “Once I had got over the initial shock of actually being able to do the course, I found the first year extremely interesting and I started heading towards environmental science.”
Part way through his degree, Rob saw an advert for a job as a chemist at a hazardous waste company and thought a company working in the environmental industry would offer the opportunity of applying what he was learning. “I didn’t have a degree, but I thought I would chance my arm and say ‘if you have anything else available, I would love to work in the industry’. They invited me along to an interview and offered me the chemist’s post. They saw someone who was working towards a chemistry degree and had demonstrated practical experience in previous roles. “I was surprised when I got the job and wondered what I had let myself in for. But once I started applying what I’d learnt, it was all right. “From then on I did the Diploma in Pollution Control which I was very interested in.”
Rob’s career in hazardous waste took off, moving from chemist to senior chemist to process manager, and later into sales. Having studied an OU creative writing
course, he later wrote and marketed his novel called Sleeping Dog and wrote a book entitled Selling Hazardous Waste Services.
Rob currently works as Regional Business Manager for a recycling-focused Spanish waste company and is working towards an MBA with the OU but is currently taking a break whilst he moves jobs and house.
“The flexibility offered by the OU means that I've still got a qualification from it and can resume my studies once things have settled down for me. Even now though, I read back through my course books for inspiration to overcome problems I encounter at work.”
As a boy, Rob Sharpe’s teachers thought he was disruptive and persuaded him that further education wasn’t for him. Years later, he turned to the OU in the first step to a successful career in the waste industry... While he was at school Rob Sharpe thought he was like any other “normal, boisterous teenager” – but his teachers thought otherwise. ...
My OU PhD...
He travelled all the way from Switzerland to receive his OU PhD. In this short video at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, Jörg Bürgi, explains how his OU thesis earned him a place at the Global Ethics Forum in Geneva, and why he'd recommend OU study to anyone...
He travelled all the way from Switzerland to receive his OU PhD. In this short video at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, Jörg Bürgi, explains how his OU thesis earned him a place at the Global Ethics Forum in Geneva, and why he'd recommend OU study to anyone... 1.5 Average: 1.5 (4 votes)
OU study tripled my salary
Watch this video interview with OU graduate Gordon MacKay who's managed to triple his salary and find success in the workplace thanks to his OU qualifications. Gordon left the Royal Navy in the 1970s with no qualifications and later embarked on a journey with The Open University in which he's gained skills, confidence and a handful of qualifications.
Here he tells his emotional story, on the day he graduated from Manchester's Bridgewater Hall in October 2012...
Watch this video interview with OU graduate Gordon MacKay who's managed to triple his salary and find success in the workplace thanks to his OU qualifications. Gordon left the Royal Navy in the 1970s with no qualifications and later embarked on a journey with The Open University in which he's gained skills, confidence and a handful of qualifications. Here he tells his emotional story, on the ...
One year on: Are student fees influencing your decision to go to uni?
On Student Finance Day 2011, and with student fees and loans high on the agenda for those considering university, Platform caught up with some prospective students via Twitter to find out how fees were influencing their decision-making. One year later, ahead of Student Finance Day 2012 (20 September), we caught up with them to see how they’re getting on now...
Age: 35
Location: Luton
Are you starting more study this Sept/October? If so have your course books arrived?
Yes. I am starting in October the S104 (Exploring Science) and S155 (Scientific Investigations). The material for the S104 arrived about a month ago and I have already started studying the first book.
How has flexible learning worked for you this year?
Flexible learning has worked great for me and I attribute it to the way the course material was planned and the tutors. The tutors have been instrumental in my experience. I was booked on to the MST121 (Using Mathematics), but after an evaluation the tutor suggested I took the MU123 (Discovering Mathematics) first to brush up my skills, and I was able to switch courses in time.
How did you find adapting to studying whilst also working part/full time?
It's been a very easy transition. I was worried that I would not have the discipline, but the way the course was laid out made it very easy to get into a routine of studying the units and working on assignments.
Have the changes in fees affected your studies at all?
I qualified for the transitional arrangement and continue with the pre-2012 fees, which for me has been a great help. The combination of financial support, OUSBA loans and transitional fees made it possible for me to continue with my studies.
Any other thoughts?
I have only praises for the way the courses are planned and the level of support and service I have received from The Open University. I have my studies planned and set out until 2016, and I feel very confident that I can achieve my goals based on my current experience with the OU.
Age: 28
Location: Welwyn Garden City
As yet I haven't signed up for a course, I have been a little too busy with work and I've had to pay for other unexpected expenses which has had to put back my plans too, as well as not being sure of where to start or what to do first. It's something I'm still thinking about , but as yet I haven't had the time or money to take it further.
On Student Finance Day 2011, and with student fees and loans high on the agenda for those considering university, Platform caught up with some prospective students via Twitter to find out how fees were influencing their decision-making. One year later, ahead of Student Finance Day 2012 (20 September), we caught up with them to see how they’re getting on now... ...
Career changer and new OU student Tracey can’t wait to get started
Tracey Bullock starts her OU studies in October 2012 and is financing them through a student loan. Currently working as a teaching assistant and single mum of two children, Tracey is working towards a Foundation Degree in Primary Teaching and Learning in order to become a teacher…
I officially start on 6th October and will be doing two modules, both level 1, each worth 60 credits. These will go towards my Foundation Degree in Primary Teaching and Learning. As I have my materials, I have made a start on reading and also on some of the activities. I’m really looking forward to the websites opening later this month so I can get properly stuck in!
Does the qualification fit with your current work and what do you hope to do with it afterwards?
As a teaching assistant, this qualification is perfect – it’s aimed at Teaching Assistants so will benefit myself, the school and the children I support. I may stop studying once I have completed this qualification but as I am enjoying studying I might transfer the credits over and do an extra year to get a full BA (Hons) degree. It is also possible that I will end up on a teacher training programme of some description in about five years which will be possible because of this course.
What made you choose the Open University?
They not only offered a course that was perfect for my current requirements but it also gives me lots of options later on. Most importantly, I can fit study around my lifestyle and with work, volunteering and two children to look after, that is very important.
How are you financing your study and how did you find the process of applying? Do you have any tips for other OU students?
I am financing my study through a student loan. The process of applying was really easy and I got a reply within a few weeks which confirmed I am eligible and how/when they will pay the OU. As I am funding my study through a student loan, the changes to fees has had no influence on me personally. This is the first time part-time study has been funded through the student loan, so I am very pleased with this change If a course gets you the qualification you want and you enjoy doing it, then I think it’s worth the money. If it leads to a new job or promotion of some kind, then it’s definitely worth the money! I would advise all students to look at the different options for funding and choose the one which best suits them.
How will you find time to manage your studies around work and raising children and are you looking forward to it?
It’s all about planning! I have time set aside for study which is when the children are at school or at their dad’s. They will go to their dad more of a weekend if I find I need time to get finished before my TMAs are due. Because of their ages (10 and 12 with birthdays just around the corner!) I can’t study when they are in bed as it would be too late for me. Also, the school I work at is very supportive and I will be able to get some extra time out of lessons on occasions if I need to get things finished. To say I am looking forward to it is an understatement – I am very excited and can’t wait to get started properly!
Do you think education is important for people who didn’t get to study at university first time round, and for those who want to change career?
Yes I do. For me, I wasn’t interested in study after school so it’s great that I can do it now. Now I am motivated and will not only do it but I’ll enjoy it too. I have found that the study I have done in the past two years (prior to OU) has led to my current job and this course will provide professional development with the chance of progression and I think that’s important. As I myself have had a major career change, I think it’s really important that people are aware that you can study, for any reason, at any age.
Do you have any advice for anyone thinking of taking up study with the OU? Would you recommend it?
I would definitely recommend study with the OU if you are organised and motivated. The ability to plan your study and work at your own pace is great if you can manage your time well. Anyone thinking of study with the OU should really think about what they want to study, why and what they want to achieve at the end of it. This will ensure they study appropriate modules and gain what they set out to gain. I spent months talking to the OU and other universities to ensure I was studying the right modules and that they would lead to the right qualification for me.
Useful links
- Study with the OU
- OU ways to pay
- OU Student Budget Account
- Part-time students' guide from Student Finance England
Tracey Bullock starts her OU studies in October 2012 and is financing them through a student loan. Currently working as a teaching assistant and single mum of two children, Tracey is working towards a Foundation Degree in Primary Teaching and Learning in order to become a teacher… When do you start studying and what qualification are you aiming for? I ...
OU student wins Bronze at European Karate championships
Entrepreneur Karen set up Driffield Karate Academy thirteen years ago and teaches students aged six upwards. Alongside this she has continued her own training, gained an OU degree and was a single parent and a full-time mum.
With her busy lifestyle for Karen attending a redbrick university was not an option. So, she looked into studying with the OU and now had a BA Childhood and Youth Studies.
Karen says “After six years of study gaining my degree has been tough and a lot of work, but I feel so much better for doing it”.
Karen decided to take the initiative and make the most of the opportunity to start
studying while she was based at home looking after her young daughter. She admits that time management was a nightmare but was provided with some childcare by her family and she studied when her daughter was in bed or at school.
The funding she received (being in receipt of benefits at the time) meant Karen was able to apply for financial assistance towards the courses as well as receiving a grant.
“I used the funding to update my computer and fund my broadband and I was even able to put some money towards my stationery. If it wasn’t for the financial help I wouldn’t have been able to study”
Now two years on from her OU studies, Karen who had ambitions to work with children following her degree runs a crèche and the academy teaching classes.
Open University alumna Karen Turner has won bronze at the 4th WUKF karate championships for seniors and veterans which took place in Scotland recently. Entrepreneur Karen set up Driffield Karate Academy thirteen years ago and teaches students aged six upwards. Alongside this she has continued her own training, gained an OU degree and was a single parent and a full-time ...
On the path to achieving a dream career in law
How did you find out about the OU?
I was aware of the OU and how they provided home study as my Mum had taken courses with the OU whilst I was still at school.
I had my children quite early and never finished my ‘A’ level courses. As my children got older I realised that once they grew up and left home I would still have a long working life ahead of me; I wanted to ensure that I would be in a position to work in a career I enjoyed and that could provide me with a challenge and job satisfaction. Studying Law at University had always been an ambition from around the age of 14.
Why did you choose to study Law with the OU over other institutions?
I really liked the fact that I could study part-time, in my own home, this allowed me to timetable my study around work and family commitments. The monthly payment options were attractive as well; you pay for each module as you are studying it. This eased a lot of the financial worry of going back to University. It also means that you finish your degree with no debt as each module is paid for as you finish it.
I completed a short Openings course to gain an insight into studying with the OU, I loved it and it gave me the confidence to do more. Having been out of study for so long I don’t think I would have had the confidence to sign up to a traditional university, it is far easier to send in your assignments by e-mail and read the feedback in the privacy of your own home. It is also comforting to know that the majority of people on the course feel the same, and this makes attending tutorials far less intimidating.
When I read the prospectus and saw that the course was provided in conjunction with the College of Law I knew that it would be an excellent course and would be well-respected in the profession. Although I signed up with a view to career progression, initially I just wanted to see how far I could go on each course and gain the personal satisfaction of earning a degree.
I knew that the OU did not discriminate or make any requirements of its students to sign up to a course, and this was not as daunting as applying to a Law course at a traditional university.
Are you currently employed and did you work alongside studying for your degree?
I am currently employed as a General Advisor within the Co-operative Banking Group. I worked part-time throughout my degree. For the first four years I worked at a local newspaper as a receptionist and sales administrator. I only ever wanted to work part-time as it allowed me the time to concentrate fully on my studies; and still have time for my family.
I found working beneficial as it prevents you becoming too isolated as studying at home can become a little lonely and it makes you take a break and reflect on what you have learnt. I also realised how much the law affects people’s everyday lives, and how legal solutions are applied in reality. I quite often found it helped in an assignment to try and apply the scenarios to situations I could relate to.
I also think that when I was made redundant, my studies with the OU helped me to find employment with the Co-op and meant that I was not out of work for long. Through my OU study I was able to illustrate my good time-management and organisational skills, as well as my academic abilities.
Working within the Bank has given me an insight into working in a professional environment, and how regulatory and legal requirements are implemented in the workplace; this was a definite advantage when I went on to do the Legal Practice Course (LPC).
What was your greatest challenge/greatest success during your studies?
Although I could not say that I didn’t find all the modules challenging, I loved every minute of my OU studies and so never found motivation a problem, and my family could not have been more supportive. I think the biggest hurdle I faced was when both my husband and I were made redundant within six months of each other and taking my first Level Three exam wondering if we would have the resources for me to continue to the end of the degree.
My greatest success was walking into my graduation at the Barbican and going to collect my gown, it was a moment that I had dreamed of for six years and I couldn’t quite believe I had done it. The pride in my husband and children’s faces that day will stay with me forever.
What are the next steps towards getting a training contract for you?
Having completed the LPC, my next steps are to continue to apply for training contracts and paralegal opportunities. I do not have a lot of legal work experience as having to study part-time and work made seeking summer vacation work difficult. I used to use most of my holiday entitlement in October so that I had enough time to revise thoroughly for the end of module exams and so had very little spare time to engage in work experience with firms.
At present I am sending out speculative applications to firms, but there is not too much available in the way of advertised vacancies. The introduction of ABS seems to be impacting on firms’ willingness to commit to the expense of a two year training contract.
To gain a little more experience I have applied to some voluntary schemes such as the Restorative Justice Panel; and will consider asking as local firm if they would support me in gaining Police Station Accreditation.
I am hoping that my life experience and work experience within the banking industry will illustrate that I am a good candidate; it is slightly frustrating that a lot of firms bemoan a lack of legal work experience, but then require candidates for paralegal roles to have gained the LPC. I am also concerned about the removal of the minimum salary for trainees from 2014.
What area of Law interests you most? And what role are you aiming for?
I have an interest in Family Law, and in the more specialised area of Public Child Law. I also studied Advanced Criminal Practice on the LPC, and have an interest in Youth Justice especially. I am also interested in the private client element of work. I would say this places me firmly in the traditional high street bracket, however finding training contracts in this area is especially tough as Legal Aid is being cut and firms are unsure of their futures.
Having said that I also enjoy employment law and as I work in a corporate environment at present would not rule out working in these fields if the opportunity arose.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years’ time?
In five years I hope to be a fully qualified solicitor. I would also like to gain Higher Rights of audience to become a solicitor - advocate. I have ambitions to go as far as I can within the profession, perhaps become and associate or partner; or possibly the judiciary. I know I have a lot of hard work ahead of me before I will be in such a position, but I will take each stage as it comes as I have done throughout the academic stage of my legal career.
Would it have been beneficial to you if you had been employed by a law from whilst doing your degree and they supported your study with a job at the end?
It would have been so beneficial to have been employed by a Law firm whilst doing my degree, even if they could not guarantee a training contract at the end of it.
I have found whilst completing my LPC that most firms ask what legal experience you have gained during your studies; and a negative answer seems to imply to them that you are not committed to a legal career; or that you just woke up one day and decided you quite fancied being a solicitor!! (Despite the commitment of six years hard study!) Whilst at school and college I completed work placements with two solicitors firms which included shadowing in county and crown courts; and visiting clients, my mum was a magistrate and so I often sat in the public gallery watching proceedings, so I had a fair idea what the profession entailed when deciding that I wanted to study Law.
I think being employed within a law firm would provide invaluable experience, and provide all important contacts within the profession that make finding an opportunity easier. I have found that it is still a profession that who you know can be more important than what you know.
Whilst both my employers were extremely supportive of my studies, working within a legal environment would have been extremely useful.
Find out more:
A first class (hons) LLB with the OU is just the beginning of a career for Donna Nicholls and she says it's the perfect platform to start from... How did you find out about the OU? I was aware of the OU and how they provided home study as my Mum had taken courses with the OU whilst I was still at school. I had my children quite early and never ...
OU Ireland student receives international award for HIV blog
The editors of Healthline.com said of Michael's blog: "Michael is a talented soulful writer with plenty to say. Stop by to leave a word of encouragement to thank him for sharing his story – you will be inspired by his courage, grace and selflessness."
Michael added: "When I got word of this award I was completely shocked. As I said on my blog, I don’t write HIV Blogger: living positively to get any awards, I write it because it helps me to cope with living with HIV."
When he’s not busy blogging, Michael is working towards a Certificate in Legal Studies on a part-time basis with the OU in Ireland. He says: "I chose The Open University so that I could also continue working in my main job at the Northern Ireland Assembly, and because of the reputation The Open University has for providing quality study and support."
Currently awaiting his exam results, Michael hopes he can continue studying flexibly with the OU to gain an LLB in the future in order to progress in his career.
Find out more:
Michael Carchrie Campbell, a law student at The Open University in Ireland, has been recognised by Healthline.com Best of the Web for his blog about living with HIV. Entitled HIV Blogger: living positively, Michael's website chronicles his many emotional and medical experiences since his diagnosis in 2009, as a way of dealing with living with the disease. It subsequently earned ...
Phil's story: A BA (Hons) and a new degree of confidence
Phil Vincent graduates from the OU this October with a BA (Hons) in History (Open) and says the knowledge and confidence it’s given him as he approaches his 30th birthday has made a huge difference to his life. Working as a broadcast engineer for national broadcasters, Phil confesses that the subject of his degree doesn’t match with his current career, but the confidence he’s gained – a vital trait in his profession as a broadcast engineer – has helped no end and now he’s considering going on to do a Masters. Here’s his story…
It is a cliché, but it seems like yesterday that I sent off the application for my first module, but in reality it is the best part of six years ago. I’d like to say I had a grand plan in mind when I applied, but truth be told, initially I took up study as a way to fill the time between touring.
You see, back then I spent a good deal of time looking after up and coming bands who were heading out on the road for the first time. Soon enough, however, I was gripped and I found myself often trying to read text books in dressing rooms, invariably whilst the rest of the band and crew were drinking their way through the bars alcohol supplies. I swear trying to read Jean Rhys in the dressing room of the Sheffield Leadmill whilst a band thunders overhead is probably the hardest thing on earth to do!
I was 24 and living in a shared flat in Bournemouth, although I had been to university, I had dropped out to pursue my career in the music industry, and had always felt that I had something more to give academically.
The OU were great, I wasn’t earning a huge amount, and I was provided with funding to help purchase the books and a much needed computer to complete the many essays set over the courses.
‘The OU revealed itself to me as one of the most forward looking institutions I have been part of’
I was a bit worried when I started as my knowledge of the OU started and ended with dusty memories of late night TV programmes of bearded men giving lectures on obscure subjects. But, I have to say, the OU revealed itself to me as one of the most forward looking institutions I have been part of. All the course material was available online, great to put on your PC, or even your phone in these futuristic times, and tutors were easily contactable via phone, email or even in the online forums on the OU website.
Before long I got fed up of the late nights and long hours of the touring business and to say I have had a variety of jobs since, is an understatement: airline steward, IT tech support and finally broadcast engineer have all been titles I have held whilst studying for the OU, and throughout it all the OU course, although adding its own stresses, became a place where I could go and lose myself in study and forget about whatever stresses work had thrown at me.
'I found myself completing OU work in odd places'
I still found myself completing OU work in odd places. Writing an essay comparing Doctor Who and Star Trek, camped out in the back of an outside broadcast truck, whilst England Played India in a test match at The Oval, is probably one of the strangest places I think anyone could have written an essay.
The OU work, further to the academic knowledge it has imparted on me, has provided me with a confidence in my own abilities, a trait that has become hugely important in my professional career as a broadcast engineer, even though it has nothing to do with the subject of my degree.
I find myself now glimpsing my 30th birthday on the horizon, and although I am happy to have been released from the monthly assignments, I catch myself occasionally looking through the OU prospectus; the MA courses seem to look more and more inviting with every new page I turn. Another two years wouldn’t be too bad, would it?
Phil Vincent graduates from the OU this October with a BA (Hons) in History (Open) and says the knowledge and confidence it’s given him as he approaches his 30th birthday has made a huge difference to his life. Working as a broadcast engineer for national broadcasters, Phil confesses that the subject of his degree doesn’t match with his current career, but the confidence he’s ...
OU honorary doctorates for artists Gilbert and George
Plymouth-born George Passmore and Gilbert Prousch were students together at St Martin’s in the 1960s. They received the Turner Prize in 1986, and in 2005 represented the UK at the Venice Biennale.
Presenting the honorary degree, Professor Brewerton said: "Gilbert and George make art out of showing human reality. Not 'the human condition', but human reality in all its sticky mess and complexity, in order to create the freedom in which to become ever more human."
Plymouth College of Art is an approved institution of The Open University.
Plymouth College of Art principal Professor Andrew Brewerton presents the artists Gilbert and George with honorary doctorates from The Open University at the graduation ceremony at the Barbican in London in March 2012. Plymouth-born George Passmore and Gilbert Prousch were students together at St Martin’s in the 1960s. They received the Turner Prize in 1986, and in 2005 ...
OU study: A step to achieving your full potential…
Studying with The Open University gives students the opportunity to achieve their full potential, according to one graduate...
Margaret Sheldon began her OU journey in 1986, on a path, she says, that changed her life.
“Studying with the OU completely changed my life, giving me the confidence to achieve a successful career while bringing up three children alone.”
“This third level course was, as a fellow student pointed out, a quantum leap,” Margaret recalled, “but following several years of living in Tuscany I thrived with it.
“To my amazement, even before I had finished the course, my tutor offered me a scholarship to study on his MA History of Art & Design course in Birmingham, despite my having no degree status.”
At the same time, Margaret was also offered a year’s secondment from teaching to study for an education degree at Birmingham University, gaining a B.Phil (Ed).
She said: “I enjoyed studying with the Open University so I continued taking courses annually until with accreditation I gained my degree in 1990.”
Margaret may have retired from teaching in 1998, but she certainly didn’t retire from life! Instead, she took off for South Africa where for many years she was involved with development issues in townships and Zulu valleys, and later in Tanzania. She also volunteered for VSO assignments, training teachers in the Ukraine, China and Sri Lanka.
Then finally last year, Margaret enrolled on an art history course, Renaissance Art Reconsidered, in order to refresh and broaden her knowledge.
“This third level AA course was very challenging, even with my previous study experience, but I learned a lot and to my delight it has ended with me gaining a BA Honours degree 2.1.
“I have always felt proud to study with the Open University which offers anyone the chance to study but maintains some of the highest academic standards in the world.
“I thank the Open University for giving us all the chance to achieve our potential and fulfil interesting, worthwhile lives. Without it I wouldn’t have been able to go out into the world making a difference to the lives of those I helped as a volunteer.”
Margaret received her degree at a ceremony in Birmingham in May. She added: “I feel very privileged to receive my degree along with many other deserving graduates of all ages and diverse study goals.”
Studying with The Open University gives students the opportunity to achieve their full potential, according to one graduate... Margaret Sheldon began her OU journey in 1986, on a path, she says, that changed her life. “Studying with the OU completely changed my life, giving me the confidence to achieve a successful career while bringing up three children alone.” ...
OU graduate awarded prestigious Fulbright Award to the US
An OU graduate has received a Postgraduate Scholars Fulbright Award to enable her to study for a PhD at the University of Missouri on one of the most prestigious and selective scholarship programmes operating world-wide. And she says her OU studies helped her success.
While working she studied for an Open University MA in Social Science, a Postgraduate Diploma in Social Research Methods and an Undergraduate Certificate in Health & Social Care.
She received the 2008 TeachFirst Excellence Award for inspiring students to reach for outstanding achievements and has since worked part-time for LKMCo and served on advisory boards to the Department of Education and the Labour Party. She is also the author of “The Six Predictable Failures of Free Schools and How To Avoid Them”, a critically acclaimed book examining the coalition’s policy for funding new schools.
As a Fulbright scholar, Laura will study for a PhD in Education Leadership & Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri.
Commenting on receiving the award, Laura said: “It has been a lifelong dream to study for a PhD. The Open University was invaluable in making Masters level study available to me and now being able to study on a Fulbright scholarship associated with so many Nobel prize winners and Heads of State is simply incredible.
“There is no way I would have had the confidence to study abroad without the support of Fulbright. Just like OU it is a life-changing opportunity.”
Created by treaty in 1948, the US-UK Fulbright Commission is the only bi-lateral, transatlantic scholarship programme, offering awards for study or research in any field, at any accredited US or UK university.
The Commission is part of the Fulbright programme conceived by Senator J. William Fulbright in the aftermath of World War II to promote leadership, learning and empathy between nations through educational exchange. Award recipients will be the future leaders for tomorrow and support the “special relationship” between the US and UK.
The Fulbright Commission selects scholars through a rigorous application and interview process. In making these awards the Commission looks not only for academic excellence but a focused application, a range of extracurricular and community activities, demonstrated ambassadorial skills, a desire to further the Fulbright Programme and a plan to give back to the recipient’s home country upon returning.
An OU graduate has received a Postgraduate Scholars Fulbright Award to enable her to study for a PhD at the University of Missouri on one of the most prestigious and selective scholarship programmes operating world-wide. And she says her OU studies helped her success. Laura McInerney studied PPE for her undergraduate degree at Oxford University. After working for two years at ...
Education and me: how the OU gave Rebecca focus, options and a new career
Rebecca Green didn’t do well at school after battling with mental health issues and the inability to reach her true potential. At 23 she discovered the OU and the option to do an Open degree, which gave her the freedom to focus on all the things she enjoyed, as well as working towards a qualification and new career. After completing her BSc in 2009, Rebecca found the MA of her dreams and is soon to qualify as a psychotherapist, with hopes to return to the OU for a PhD and a spot of teaching. This is her story…
I have not had an easy relationship with the education system, being a student doesn't come naturally to me. As I progressed through the classes from infant to junior school, I became steadily more withdrawn and confused and found it difficult to make friends. I never did as well as I wanted to, despite most of my teachers predicting good things for me, and became frustrated when everyone around me seemed to be finding it much less of an effort to understand what was going on, when I was constantly perplexed by people and their behaviour.
I tried to go on to college but I couldn't seem to settle on anything. My medication affected my concentration and seemed to make me feel jittery. I changed course from performing arts to law and then to psychology, eventually leaving to work full time. The recurring theme throughout was always never quite living up to my potential, and never being able to find something that I could stick at.
'I changed to working towards gaining an Open degree, which reduced my panic about having to choose one direction for my life'
I counted down until I was old enough so that I could be classed as a mature student, meaning that my missing A Levels and GCSE results would not count against me, and then I registered on an Open University course. I started out with a clear goal in mind – to have the most useful qualification so that I could finally be a sensible grown-up. But every time I got the new course prospectus through the post, I was distracted by all of the things that I could learn about and found it difficult to stick to one thing. Again.
I changed to working towards gaining an Open Degree, which reduced my panic about having to choose one direction for my life when I still didn't feel ready or able to do so. So, for every sensible course I took that would kickstart my career in finance, I treated myself to something more frivolous – whether that was French, religion, or 18th century social history. Throughout this, I received both educational and financial support from the Open University. Due to the way that the OU was funded, I received grants for my course fees, help towards buying a computer and even a place on a summer school in France.
When I graduated in 2009, I was unhappy in my job and facing training for a career that I realised that I no longer wanted. My experience of studying with the OU had opened up my options and made me realise that I didn't have to choose between having a serious career and doing something that I enjoyed.
'I know that I can try and make another child's experience of school a little different'
While looking through a careers website for school and college leavers, I started clicking on links for training as a dance teacher when I noticed an option for something called a Dance Movement Psychotherapist. I had a thunderbolt moment and everything seemed to click into place. I could do something creative and fulfilling, and at the same time satisfy a niggling thought I'd always had in the back of my mind about training in some sort of counselling, to use my own experiences to help others.
Within a couple of months I was registered on an evening course at Roehampton University to see if I was suitable and if it lived up to my expectations. The following year in 2010 I was accepted to train as a Dance Movement Psychotherapist on their three-year Masters degree course. Now when I go in to a school it's as a trainee therapist, and even though it brings back all sorts of memories and at times I'm fighting an urge to run away as far as possible, I know that I can try and make another child's experience of school a little different.
I haven't quite finished with my own education either. I still get the OU course prospectus through every year and there are too many subjects that I want to register for. I'm planning to apply for a PhD in either narrative, discursive and psychosocial research or in counselling and psychotherapy at the Open University's Department of Psychology. I hope one day that I'll even be able to become an Associate Lecturer and change someone else's opinion of education.
Pictured above is Rebecca Green at her OU graduation at the Brighton Dome in 2010.
Rebecca Green didn’t do well at school after battling with mental health issues and the inability to reach her true potential. At 23 she discovered the OU and the option to do an Open degree, which gave her the freedom to focus on all the things she enjoyed, as well as working towards a qualification and new career. After completing her BSc in 2009, Rebecca found the MA of her dreams and ...
