{"id":26934,"date":"2025-03-25T11:26:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T11:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/?p=26934"},"modified":"2025-03-25T11:27:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T11:27:40","slug":"i-never-considered-university-was-an-option-until-my-son-encouraged-me-to-take-the-leap-says-mum-of-ou-graduate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/science-mct\/i-never-considered-university-was-an-option-until-my-son-encouraged-me-to-take-the-leap-says-mum-of-ou-graduate\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I never considered university was an option until my son encouraged me to take the leap\u2019, says mum of OU graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"

When George, 28, from Kent, earned his BSc in Computing and IT<\/a> from The Open University (OU) last year, he never imagined his success would inspire his mum to follow in his footsteps. Thanks to his degree, George has already secured multiple promotions and even an award nomination. Now, his mum, Maria, 52, has embarked on her own OU journey, proving that it\u2019s never too late to learn. Together, they share their experiences of studying at a university that truly caters to all.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo my peers and teachers, choosing the OU was seen as an unconventional route, but for me, it was a strategic decision,\u201d says George.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy friends studying at a brick university seemed unsure about their career path and what lay ahead after graduating. Some didn\u2019t even know whether they\u2019d be able to secure work.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy studying with the OU, I gained a degree alongside my job, ensuring I had both qualifications and industry experience. Over six years, this decision has paid off, and I now work as a Principal Consultant at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, I was lucky enough to be nominated for Business Analyst of the Year. All of this has been possible with my qualification from the OU.\u201d<\/p>\n

A new chapter<\/strong><\/h2>\n

George\u2019s journey has shaped more than just his future \u2013 it inspired his mum to begin her OU degree.<\/p>\n

Maria has worked at a school for additional needs for over a decade, supporting students aged two to 19. While she had years of experience, she felt the absence of formal qualifications held her back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was written off at school. I wasn\u2019t naughty, but I picked up a stigma that was hard to shift,\u201d commented Maria.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough I didn\u2019t continue with formal education, I knew that having a qualification had many benefits, so I always encouraged my boys to try hard with their studies.<\/p>\n

\u201cI adore my job, but I just kept thinking, the older I get, if I wanted to swap roles or move away, I would have all this valuable experience and nothing on paper to prove it to other employers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen George started studying with the OU, I never considered that it might be an option for me until George encouraged me to take the leap. He kept saying to me, \u2018Mum, you can do this! Why don\u2019t you do something?\u2019. He really believed in me.\u201d<\/p>\n

A life-changing decision<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 2020, Maria enrolled in a Bachelor of Honours in Early Childhood Studies<\/a> with the OU, which has already impacted her career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI frequently covered for teachers on leave, but I really wanted to be in one classroom. When you do cover, you move between different classes, and I missed seeing the children flourish and progress over time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was asked to cover a class permanently as an unqualified teacher, I had the confidence to go for it. I wouldn\u2019t have had that confidence if I hadn\u2019t been doing my degree.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s opened so many doors for me. I feel like I have a future beyond my current job if needed. The OU is about giving people without qualifications a second chance, and that\u2019s exactly what it\u2019s done for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shared milestone on the horizon<\/strong><\/h2>\n

George couldn\u2019t be prouder of his mum\u2019s achievements, as he explains:<\/p>\n

\"A

George and Maria<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI knew she could do it. I know she doubts herself a lot because of her past experiences at school, but I see how clever she is. It takes a specific kind of person to do what she does \u2013 she\u2019s incredibly empathetic and caring, and that\u2019s a superpower in itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once Maria finishes her degree, she and George might even attend a graduation ceremony together \u2013 an incredible milestone for a mother and son who found their own paths through education.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mum\u2019s proud of me, and I think I\u2019ve surprised her,\u201d George admits. \u201cI didn\u2019t really bother at school, so no one had high expectations of what I\u2019d achieve. But I found my way, and now she has too.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur story is a testament to the OU\u2019s flexibility and accessibility, proving that education is always within reach no matter your background.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more from George and Maria, check out the OU <\/strong>social media<\/strong><\/a> channels for some special Mother\u2019s Day content. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When George, 28, from Kent, earned his BSc in Computing and IT from The Open University (OU) last year, he never imagined his success would inspire his mum to follow in his footsteps. Thanks to his degree, George has already secured multiple promotions and even an award nomination. Now, his mum, Maria, 52, has embarked […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":26935,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,18],"tags":[1525,1640],"class_list":["post-26934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-mct","category-student-stories","tag-news-home","tag-ou-home"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26934"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26937,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26934\/revisions\/26937"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}