Thinking of going part time and doing OU to progress

Thinking of going part time and doing OU to progress

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V12biTurbo

Original Poster:

369 posts

104 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Hi everyone

Sorry this is so long winded. I just wanted some thoughts and insight from anyone with experience with the Open University and career prospects after.

I currently work in what is basically a glorified factory job, but It's quite a niche industry and fortunately well paid. The problem now is after 8 or so years, I can't stand the job, and the often unsociable hours. I always regretted not making the most of opportunities to get a proper education when I was a bit younger, and to some extent I feel a bit wasted in my current job and feel I have more to offer. The best I can hope for in current role is a supervisor job (actually less money) or a project managers job (not of interest).

My current employer, or In the interests of IR35 i should say client, as I'm freelance, has suggested they'd be happy for me to work 4x10 hour days per week if they could guarantee i would stay working there for a couple of years, as they find it hard to find someone with decent enough skills. They know I'm keen to learn something new and did offer for me to learn CAD but I'm just not interested in it at all.

Firstly, is it unrealistic to expect to study an OU degree 'full time' with just one full day off a week? Obviously I could put in more time during the week and at weekends too. Being 26, I still have a fair bit of energy and motivation which can hopefully help me see things through!

The natural degree subject for me given my work would be a BEng, but I'm not sure I'm actually keen enough and wouldn't mind a complete change. Obviously I have to have a passion or interest to an extent, and be realistic about job prospects after, but what also really matters to me most of all is quality of life. I don't want to be one of those husbands or parents one day who's always at work, neglecting everything else to earn a living, which is where I see myself going at the moment in current demanding job.

I would like a decent paying career, but 8-4 or 9-5, better still perhaps working from home (finance/risk?, HR&employment law?), and be able to enjoy a nice quality of life as well as giving my all to my job when I'm there. Don't interpret this as being lazy, as I'm far from it... but we spend so many years working I just want to find the right balance.

There are a few subjects available through the OU that interest me, with varying employment prospects.

Anyone who's completed an OU course on here please do tell your story, and let me know if it's been worthwhile - or not as the case may be.

Any thoughts on if studying around my work is viable would also be gratefully received. As mentioned I'd still be doing 40 hours per week, over 4 days.

Thanks for reading my long post!



Mikey_Beep

14 posts

96 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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If you're not sure what to study have a look into the Open degree, you can pick and choose what interests you on a module by module basis (mine was Astrophysics, Maths, Nanotechnology and Software Engineering).

I studied at half of full time rate whilst working 3-4 days a week for a BSc and had plenty of free time, I'm sure I could've studied at the full time rate without too much of a stretch. People do study at the full time rate while working full time as well, but for me that would be heavy going over 3 years.

Self-discipline & organisation is a must however fast you study though, I liked to run 2-3 weeks ahead (usually quite easy to achieve at the start of a module) to allow for holidays, DIY projects etc.

I liked it so much I've gone back for more! (which reminds me, I need to enroll on my next module soon)

aww999

2,068 posts

260 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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You sound like me, ten years ago. I had an OK job on a fairly low salary and no real opportunity to advance or build a career. I was about 25 or 26 I think. I had screwed up university after my A-levels. I knew that I was smart enough to do better.

I chose to do a BEng (personal interest and relevance to the industry I was in), which I studied alongside my day job for four years. I could have easily done it I three, but I started slow and (back then) you weren't allowed to study enough credits in a year to catch up/ If you're smart, you will find that the study hours suggested for each module are overly generous, I was successfully completing modules in less than half of the time suggested.

I got a first in my BEng, but my circumstances had changed - it made sense to keep studying. I'd chosen to do a lot of physics and astronomy modules towards the end of the programme, and my OU degree was good enough to get me a place on an Astrophysics MSc at UCL - I appreciate this is not for everyone, but I'm just trying to demonstrate that an OU degree is not viewed as second-rate by most.

After the MSc, I secured a job in finance at a large (10,000 people) company, (which meant two more years of exams!) and I now have double the wages and infinitely better prospects that I did ten years ago. My CV would have gone straight in the bin without a degree on it; I actually entered on a grad recruitment scheme at 34 which is unusual but not unheard of. I have been busily making up for lost time ever since smile

I can't really help with your question about work/life balance etc, but I have delivered well, progressed rapidly, and built a good professional reputation without ever doing more than 40hrs/wk. Not all finance jobs are 18 hour days, screaming into a telephone, a la Wolf of Wall Street!


CX53

2,964 posts

109 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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I can't see any harm in doing this, if you're still working 40 hours per week and can maintain study as well it sounds like a win win.

You mentioned finance, perhaps you'd fancy doing finance or business related subjects and moving straight in to a high up position in manufacturing once you have a better grasp of numbers and business operations? I've thought of doing similar before.

Farmer Geddon

212 posts

105 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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The OU has really appealled to me but I've not taken the plunge through various concerns, some probably unfounded but nonetheless.

More education is never a bad idea, so long as you're realistic about whether or not it will really open any doors for you or not.

I'd love to study French, and the OU do language degrees, but realistically what am I going to do with it?

Computing would be interesting too, but then I'm told you have to start at the very bottom on terrible money for some time, which I can't afford to do sadly.

Do people actually take degrees in business that seriously? It seems like every man and his dog has a business degree of some sort nowadays.

And it does make me wonder how on earth you can get a degree in engineering through distance learning!

My scepticism is all nonsense because a cursory search online shows the OU's courses are very highly regarded.

Wobbegong

15,077 posts

168 months

Wednesday 26th July 2017
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Farmer Geddon said:
The OU has really appealled to me but I've not taken the plunge through various concerns, some probably unfounded but nonetheless.

More education is never a bad idea, so long as you're realistic about whether or not it will really open any doors for you or not.

I'd love to study French, and the OU do language degrees, but realistically what am I going to do with it?

Computing would be interesting too, but then I'm told you have to start at the very bottom on terrible money for some time, which I can't afford to do sadly.

Do people actually take degrees in business that seriously? It seems like every man and his dog has a business degree of some sort nowadays.

And it does make me wonder how on earth you can get a degree in engineering through distance learning!

My scepticism is all nonsense because a cursory search online shows the OU's courses are very highly regarded.
Don't study French with them. First year is fantastic, second year onwards is basically sociology in a foreign language.

I found the trouble with the OU is that they struggle to find enough quality content for the modules so you often end up with a lot of filler to reach the required learning time.

silent ninja

863 posts

99 months

Sunday 6th August 2017
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From what I hear, the OU is well regarded. If you supplement with activities outside of your studies - these are what set you apart - there's absolutely no reason you couldn't compete. Just dont think ticking the box of a degree will get you a great job. It won't. There are tonnes of jobs on Reed right now that require a prequisite degree and pay £8 an hour. I completed my degree at age 29 - I saved for a year flat out, then worked part time through the degree at a brick and mortar. I then worked at an IT helpdesk for a further 18 months until I got myself a graduate level job. That was my fault for not applying myself properly. After that, things just got better and better.

I will be doing a post grad certificate with OU this year. Purely out of interest, but also with an eye toward an MBA.

Sycamore

1,726 posts

117 months

Monday 7th August 2017
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I study a BEng in Engineering with the OU, focussing on design as I'm a structural design engineer.
I work full time and get no time off allowed, so with being allowed one day off a week you would be fine.