[ScouserAndy]

Do they have the same clout as a normal degree?
Thinking of doing a degree in engineering, im already a spark so was thinking of getting off the tools in a few years.

And i cant take time from work hence the OU.

Any advice?

[Rock Da Bass]

Yes, it's just as good though wrongly some employers seem to mark it down a little bit from a normal degree.

However, on your CV for engineering jobs it'll say BSc BEng or whatever and that's the main thing.

There's a big shortage of engineers here in Aberdeen (the oil industry is based here and is very engineering dependant) and anybody with any engineering degrees or experience gets snapped up by employers pretty quicky.

RDB

[lisag]

I got an OU degree, it wasn't too hard, but just took a long time (6 years) and towards the end I really found myself doing what I had to do to get the grade, rather than enjoying acquiring the knowledge.

I think employers do hold it in high regard, especially if you go on to do it in later life, and juggle it with a full-time job, as I did... Good luck!

lisa

[pixelated]

Yes it is. I'm doing a Law degree with them. It requires dedication and from employers I've spoken to they hold it in a very high regard on account that as Lisa says, you've managed your time better than you ever would in a "standard" uni and shown dedication by sticking with it.

Not to mention it consistantly ranks well in "Top University" tables. Definitely worth it and these days, there's definitely less of a feeling that it's worth slightly less.

As Rock Da Bass says as well, once you've got the letters, that's the bulk of it. They'll respect the Open Uni much more than some run down hellholes that I won't mention. I recommend them, they're a very funky organisation.

Incidentally, someone I work with just obtained their Physics degree from them a couple of months ago. Impressive.

[Mr_Wistles]

As above, if you do it while at work it shows dedication.

[sbowler]

A degree will always mean something, unlike the dreaded NVQ that I am having to do.

[nheather]

I get involved with a lot of recruitment for my company.

From my experience, it is recognised as a degree although there can be a pecking order. It depends on how many responses we get for a vacancy.

If there are few the pecking order doesn't count for much.

But if there is a lot then we can't interview them all and have to filter.

If candidates have post graduate experience then this is more important than the degree but if newly graduated then we will look at the quality of the CV, the degree subject and the university.

The pecking order we use for degrees is

1st - The classic red bricks
2nd - The original universities (depending on subject there will be an order within these)
3rd - The best Ex-Polys
4th - Other Ex-Polys and the new age Universities

OU is usually ranked somwhere around lower 2nd to 3rd.

The other thing that happens (despite being illegal) is age discrimination. I'm afraid that it still happens.

OU graduates are usually older (and often the better for it) but when placed up against young under graduates age discrimination comes to the fore.

Don't let this put you off though. A degree is still key and triumph over candidates without degrees every time.

Cheers,

Nigel

[pixelated]

I agree with Nigel on the age discrimination part of it - that still exists. However that isn't the fault of the OU in anyway at all. Funnily enough I asked them about the success rate of 18-24 year olds on their courses. They couldn't provide me with exact details on that but did state that 18-25 was their fastest growing age group. I'm 20 and doing a Law degree as I said.

Any pecking order that may or may not exist globally is always flawed anyway. I doubt that a Law degree from Dodgy Dave's Uni for example would beat the law degree I hope to get from the OU just because it's "bricks and mortar"

Do the degree and you will be rewarded well for it. Also the OU look after their students pretty well. When I hopefully graduate the university will help me seek out training contracts etc. with solicitors and they are *not* easy to get. It's a top quality university as student satisfaction - and ranking tables - show. If it wasn't, I wouldn't bother giving 'em thousands to do this Law malarkey. I'm only 20 - I could quite easily go to Manchester Uni and get it done there. But I hope to finish my degree in 5 years and by then I'll have 7 years IT experience, plus a law degree from a well respected Uni. No brainer.

Also worth noting that the quality of these bricks and mortar universities. Oxford, yes, fair enough. But they're not all like that. Hell no.

I'm a happy student of theirs and will continue to study with them until "it's done".

[chriszzzzzz]

Originally Posted by sbowler

A degree will always mean something, unlike the dreaded NVQ that I am having to do.

I'll second that....I've been doing my job for well over 20 years and they have just decided we need to do NVQ's. (Not Very Qualified?)
It's totally ridiculous. The level of knowledge needed is way below what we actually have.
Even those of us who have advanced courses under our belts are not immune. We could perhaps bear it if we just ripped through it in say a week, but they are dragging it out as you would with someone new!!!!
Oh and one of the guys has a degree and he's doing it because the NVQ is in a different subject.....