Jacob Mackenzie

Jacob left school with his GCSEs and an NVQ in Business and Finance thinking that was the end of his academic chapter. But 15 years later, when a friend said she was set to embark upon an Access module with the OU, Jacob was encouraged to give studying another go. A further five years on and Jacob is now studying a Master of Laws! 

A re-introduction to learning

When a friend called Jacob to tell him she was going to study an Access module at the OU, it was the first time he’d considered additional study since leaving school. 

Jacob said: “School wasn’t really for me, so I thought I had left my student days behind. But when my friend said she was going to study an Access module at the OU and suggested doing it together, my interest piqued. 

I had looked into degrees at the OU and liked the look of a Business degree, but never thought I had the brains for it. I felt like doing the Access module would be a good re-introduction to an academic environment and allow me to decide whether higher education study could be for me.”

With a career in business and sales, Jacob enrolled in the Access module ‘People, work and society’. He said the online registration process was straight-forward and he soon found himself with an enrolment date. 

“It was nerve-wracking at first,” he said. “It had been a while since I’d studied; I was a bit older, and it all felt quite new to me. However, I quickly found that I was really interested in the course content. The materials were easy-to-understand, the format was logical, and I didn’t feel like I was overwhelmed with any of it.”

Access paved the way for further study

“I really enjoyed studying the Access module and it hit home that I could actually succeed at that level of learning, which gave me a massive boost in confidence. So much so that when I finished, I decided to enrol in a BA degree in Business Management (Leadership Practice).”

“I decided to study my degree full-time alongside working full-time. It was tough trying to find the time to fit it all in, but I was so focused on the end goal it kept me motivated. And I ended up being the first person on my dad’s side of the family to earn an undergraduate degree, which has been a real badge of honour. My family are incredibly proud.”

Jacob, who is now studying for his Master of Laws, credits the Access module as a significant factor in pursuing further study. 

I don’t think I would have done my degree without having studied the Access module first. It was such a good transition back into the world of learning and it played a huge part in building my confidence back up. I went from thinking I didn’t have the brains for any higher education study to thinking ‘I can do this!’”

High praise for Access

Jacob, who works as a National Partnerships Manager for charity Tempo Time Credits and is responsible for bringing new organisations onboard, has been converted by the power of education, having experienced first-hand the impact of gaining higher education qualifications.  

Having a degree has made a huge difference to me and has opened up so many more doors. It seems like all employers want some sort of degree nowadays, so being able to apply for more senior, skilled, better paid roles is a great payoff for all that hard work. 

“I didn’t see the power of education before but now, having seen how many more opportunities there are from having a degree, I am hugely appreciative of how transformational education can be.  

To anyone considering studying an Access module, I would thoroughly recommend it for boosting your confidence and getting your brain back into learning-mode. It helps you to appreciate how capable you really are. And I honestly think that if you can do the Access module, you can do a degree, so go for it!”