The truth about part-time study

Publish date	2007-12-18
Available Articles	Full articles without membership

Studying for an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification is a proven way to further a career and increase earnings over a lifetime. But for many people, life gets in the way of achieving this ambition. Obstacles to further education such as family commitments and lack of funding mean they often have to postpone study until later in life, or indefinitely.

Part-time and online education are increasingly popular routes into education for mature students. Last year in the UK, part-time enrolments grew by 2 per cent. In 2005, 43 per cent of higher education students in the UK studied part-time and 56 per cent were mature students.

Returning to education as a mature student is clearly a worthwhile, if daunting, challenge. So what is it actually like? Is it worth it?

The Open University and Birkbeck College (part of the University of London) have produced a joint report that sheds light on the outcomes and experiences of part-time learners in Britain.

Because 94 per cent of students at Birkbeck and virtually all of The Open University’s students learn part-time, the study is an attempt to better understand the motivations of such students. The report, The Social and Economic Benefits of Part-Time, Mature Study at Birkbeck College and The Open University, charts the experiences of part-time mature students who studied at The OU and Birkbeck.

Although part-time study plays a large part in the higher education sector, there is little knowledge of the impact of qualifications and experiences on people who study later in life.

The survey was conducted among 3,072 people who had gained a qualification from the OU or Birkbeck. The answers revealed their reasons for study, the costs and benefits of participation and the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the graduates.

Personal development and interest in the subject are the most popular reasons for study, closely followed by getting a recognised qualification. Wanting to improve their current job or change to a better job was a reason for between one and two-thirds of cases. Postgraduate students in particular highlighted improving their current job as a particular reason.

Forty-seven per cent of OU students who responded rated enjoyment and employment progression as their main reasons for study. Seventy per cent noted improvement in skills such as time management, writing, research, leadership and teamwork.

At the time of the survey, shortly after all respondents had graduated, most appeared to be in the same job or employment area as they where when they began studying. Over half felt that their career opportunities had improved, and that they expected future benefits including a higher income.

Respondents said they had improved self-confidence, happiness and personal development. Many also cited as a positive factor helping children with their own education.

Seventy per cent said they now enjoyed learning more as a result of their studies and 60 per cent planned to continue in education.

The study’s findings have highlighted a wide range of benefits obtained from studying amongst both sets of graduates. There is strong evidence that both institutions provide courses that meet the diverse needs of mature part-time students and a three-year follow-up study is already underway exploring the longer-term outcomes of study.

Alan Woodley, Senior Research Fellow at The Open University and co-author of the report, said: “Although OU and Birkbeck students differ in terms of how, what and where they study, there is great similarity in their reasons for studying, such as personal development and wanting to gain a qualification; what they expected to gain from studying – improved skills, better opportunities and enhanced satisfaction in their current roles; and the benefits they had already gained from study a few months after graduation.

Stephen Bisset left school at 16 with one ‘O’ Grade in metal work and started working in the oil industry. After 15 years as a production machinist, he began to wonder what the future held for him.

What would happen if there was a downturn in the industry, for example, and he was made redundant? Stephen decided that he wanted to expand his skills, but found this was “virtually impossible” without qualifications. “I just realised that I needed something more than what I had,” he said.

After studying an introductory level science course at OU, he decided to try a module in engineering. Initially he paid his own course fees and fitted his studies around his work by reading during quiet times during his nightshifts. When he moved to a new company, Baker Oil Tools, he was pleased to find that his new employer was keen to encourage him and prepared to support him financially in his studies.

Before he had completed his degree, Stephen says the benefits were clear, as he has progressed from a machinist to an operations engineer. His earnings have increased, and he can now work shorter and more sociable hours.

Keywords: Part-time Study, Open University, Birkbeck College, Personal Development.

Source:

back