Tank Studios

Software developers Tank Studios have successfully developed their business and generated new revenue streams after their Head of Sales and Marketing undertook learning with The Open University. 

After moving into a new role as Head of Sales and Marketing at software developer Tank Studios, the opportunity to undertake skills development with The Open University (OU) in Scotland came at the perfect time for Callum Mullen.  

He explains: “I didn’t have a great deal of experience in marketing outside of my previous role. I wanted to deepen my knowledge of the subject so that I could hit the ground running and this course gave me the chance to do so and more. 

“As a result, I was able to step into this role with confidence and perform to the standards the company expect of me. The self-confidence I gained from completing the course then taking what I had learned and applying it within my career was extremely satisfying.” 

Working for a small business, Callum underook a microcredential short course in Business Management: Marketing Principles and Practice. The organisation was fortunate to access Scottish Government funding for the course.

‘Fitted completely around work life’ 

Callum found the online platform he used to study was “extremely accessible and user-friendly, so the interactive materials and varied tasks were genuinely enjoyable to work through.” 

He adds: “The OU tutors realise that most people who are undertaking the microcredential are in full-time employment and that people may be at different stages of completing the course. They are completely understanding and are on hand for any support you need.  

Studying with The Open University was genuinely so easy and fitted completely around my work life."

“I couldn’t recommend them highly enough; they’re very professional and the learning materials are seriously impressive.”  

Consequently, Callum says: “Studying with the OU was genuinely so easy and fitted completely around my work life, which is something I was worried about beforehand.

“I could pick and choose when I wanted to dip into it and the tutors were very understanding if there was ever an occasion I wasn’t up to speed due to work commitments.”  

He was delighted to pass his studies with distinction, achieving a score of 86% overall. 

‘Marketing campaigns were only ever concepts in the past’ 

Callum’s role is centred around developing sales strategies and marketing of Epic Pen – user-friendly software that essentially acts as a pen for your PC and allows you to draw over any application on Windows and Mac. 

Following the completion of his studies with the OU in Scotland, the Head of Sales and Marketing highlights: “My studies have allowed the organisation to develop further business and generate new sources of revenue, as we are now launching marketing campaigns that were only ever concepts in the past.

We’ve gained new clients and had record revenues from B2B (business-to-business) sales last year."

“I’ve brought my new skills into the organisation and they have been at the heart of these campaigns.  

“As a result, we’ve gained new clients and had record revenues from B2B (business-to-business) sales last year, so that’s something we’re very proud of.” 

The opportunity and support Callum received from his employer to undertake the microcredential has also encouraged him to stay with the company.  

He explains: “They were extremely supportive of me when undertaking further study and adjusted my working hours to suit. I don’t know many employers that would have gone to those lengths to support me, so I’ll always be grateful for their support.” 

To anyone considering accessing the fund to study with the OU, he concludes: “You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. There’s always something we’d like to improve upon or something that interests us." 

Photo by Neil Hanna