Case studies
From forklifts to formulae
– how the credit crunch got me
out of the warehouse and into IT
Chris Swain, BSc (Hons) IT and Computing
Now's not a good time to be a forklift truck driver. With retailers and distributors being hit as hard as they are, they're not exactly bending over backwards to take on staff. Even when the going was good, the job security wasn't - most places would only take us on short-term contracts at best.
To be honest I was keen to get out of warehouse anyway, although I was worried that I didn't have the qualifications to do anything else. By choosing to study IT at the OU I've proved that I can, and better still I've been able to fit my course around work.
On the strength of my studies I've already got office-based shift work and I'm looking forward to getting something in data co-ordination next which will let me enjoy the kind of pay and security I've not had before.
Sarah Witts, OU BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies
Every mum has a natural talent for child development - I decided to turn mine into a career
John Farrell, OU Certificate in Management student
I managed to get qualified for a new career while working full time, moving house, and training for a marathon
