A Great Experience
I made the decision to start studying with the Open University in 2000, after doing a free 10 weeks computer course thanks to Usdaw and the union learning fund. Working for Tesco at the time, I just wanted to do something that would challenge me and keep the old gray matter ticking over! I began studying in February 2001 with A103: Introduction to Humanities. It was a great course that introduced me to all areas of the Arts faculty. On completion, I received a Certificate in Humanities, which was great; as it meant I was gaining qualifications as I went along.
Working in retail, on lower wages I was able to tap into the OU’s fantastic financial assistance scheme and actually qualified to get my courses for free. Usdaw also offers a cash back scheme that provides a financial incentive to members completing 30 or 60 point courses to encourage people to complete their degree.
The course was a complete joy!
The following year I took A209: Fifth-century Athens, which was the first course with a proper exam at the end. It worried me initially but, with proper planning and preparation, everything went well. I was enjoying studying so much, I even started to look at some short science courses to fill in the gap between courses, and it was here that I encountered one of my favourite OU courses S180: Life in the Oceans, based on the Blue Planet TV series. It was like being taught by Sir David Attenborough himself – a complete joy!
However, in 2003 I found I had over-stretched myself. I tried to do a 60 point course and a 30 point course at the same time and, when it clashed with my appointment to my current job role as Lifelong Learning Project Worker with USDAW, I was forced to withdraw which was very disappointing. That said I honestly believe that my new employer saw the work I had put into my studies as a positive and the skills I had learned helped me get the job.
Because of my new job, I was unable to commit to further study until 2007 – another beauty of the OU is that you can pick it up and put it down when you have the time. By this time I had also done an NVQ and was able to transfer some of this credit to my degree, saving me some time.
In 2008 I started an Openings course, which is the introductory taster level OU course. Having already organised a similar course, Open to Change, as a supported course for an Usdaw workplace I then decided to do it myself in order to help support the group.
It was a real surprise as I wasn’t expecting to get anything out of the course but I was so wrong! The content was both well-written and thought-provoking, and completely fulfilled its promise: helping with action planning and encouraging the student to take a reflective look at him/herself and where he/she wanted to go in life.
In return, I was able to share with the group all the skills and experience I had gained over my eight years of study, such things as note taking, essay writing, finding a place to study and breaking down questions in ECA’s.
A fantastic institution!
I am passionate about OU and hopefully my enthusiasm and experience will have served to encourage people – and maybe helped settle a few nerves!
So now, after seven years of study, I have managed to gain enough credits to graduate in the OU’s 40th anniversary year with a First class honours degree in Humanities with Classical Studies.
If I can do it anyone can. Yes its hard work while working, yes it means sacrificing things but it is all worthwhile in the end. The Open University is a fantastic institution whose ideals are about supporting ordinary people who cannot or would not normally attend a brick university to achieve a degree.
Martyn Warwick
Graduate – and Lifelong Learning Project Worker, USDAW
