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Tom Gibb

Tom Gibb at his graduation ceremony in 1993Studying with The Open University (OU) in Scotland in the 1990s to progress his nursing career, Tom Gibb has come full circle and is now supporting a new generation of students as an Associate Lecturer with the university.  

Studying for a Bachelor of Arts Open Degree with the OU in Scotland in the 1990s, Tom, now aged 63 and living in Carluke, South Lanarkshire, was primarily motivated to study with the OU in Scotland as a personal goal, but it ended up playing a pivotal role in furthering his career as a nurse. 

He explains: “I dropped out of a ‘brick’ university when I was younger and wanted to prove I could do it. However, I also hoped it would further my career, which it did – leading to further qualifications and rapid promotion in the NHS, then becoming an Associate Lecturer at the OU, where I still work part-time after retiring from the NHS.”

Working full-time as a senior staff nurse and raising a young family at the time, he said the flexibility and ability to study part-time was what drew him to the OU in Scotland.  

He adds: “I wanted to complete the degree as quickly as I could manage, so I did a range of modules including two at a time for the first three years of studying. The mixed topics of health, science, social science, systems management, and decision management would unlikely be found in a more conventional university – certainly in the 1980s/90s.”

He observes: “I think this flexibility is still relevant now and I know some of my students take an eclectic mix of subjects, as well as some taking more prescribed routes to specific qualifications. Many have said the OU was their only option for their development due to flexibility, and that the flexibility is also great for OU teaching staff.”

OU study materials from 1988, including floppy discs and books. Something that has changed since he first studied is the technological developments that have “increased accessibility and completion opportunities for students, as well as benefiting lecturers.”

He comments that his first “laptop” for studying came with “a whole 512k virtual hard drive and lots of flipping floppy discs – all printed on a slow and noisy dot matrix printer.”

The postal service even delivered a huge experiment kit for a science module, of which he jokes:

“My wife just loved the messy chemistry experiments on our dining table!”

‘Improved my self-confidence’

Tom Gibb working as a nurse in the 1980s

Following the completion of his Open Degree, Tom says: “Gaining an OU degree improved my promotion prospects and led to further study, including a part-time MBA, as well as professional nursing qualifications.

“I was rapidly promoted in the NHS and reached a senior position within a specialised area of practice in a few years. I also undertook a number of specific management projects within the NHS, which were enabled by having the degree.”

He has now been a part-time Associate Lecturer for the OU in Scotland for over 25 years, teaching courses in the Health, Wellbeing and Social Care School.

Tom comments: “I do think that studying with the OU helped me to learn how to learn and to think critically, which improved my self-confidence and competence in the various roles I have undertaken since.” 

‘OU gives the chance for anyone to achieve high level education’

Looking back at his OU graduation ceremony in 1993, Tom shares: “I felt huge pride and personal satisfaction at completing what I started and left years before. 

“The feeling of walking out in front of my parents, wife and sister was fantastic and I still treasure the photo of me outside the hall with them.”

All of this development ultimately started with studying at OU, which broadened my horizons and helped me develop a positive enquiring approach to my career.”

He adds: “I am so glad that my wife saw a poster about The Open University in my local library. I may not have done this without my wife suggesting it and couldn’t have achieved it without her unending support throughout.”

Having come full circle from student to Associate Lecturer with the OU in Scotland, Tom concludes: “I believe the OU gives the chance for anyone to achieve high level education and qualifications.

“I am delighted to have managed to support hundreds of students on their paths over many years as an Associate Lecturer.”

I am really pleased that I decided to start studying with The Open University in Scotland in 1986.

I was working as a staff nurse in a general hospital at the time, and realised that I had previously missed out on my opportunity for higher education and I wanted to progress that.

The flexibility and variety of part-time study with The Open University really helped me to fit in the study, along with the commitments of working full-time and raising a young family.

I completed my Open Degree in 1992, and then went on to complete a part-time MBA and some further professional qualifications.

The education I gained through that really helped me build my career and progress my life, by building self-confidence and teaching me how to learn and how to think critically.

This quickly led me to a more senior roles including project work with the trust management.

I progressed quickly to a senior specialist nursing role, where I applied the critical thinking I had learned through The Open University.

Since 1996 I've also taught with The Open University and have supported hundreds of students in their ongoing learning, continuing this after retiring from my NHS job.

I still think that the flexibility and variety of options offered through part-time study at The Open University is invaluable to students, and helps them to achieve what they want from their higher education, in a way that works for their other commitments.