STEM Showcase - Student Support & Careers
KAREN FOLEY: Welcome back to the Student Hub Live STEM Showcase. Well, we've had an amazing day so far. And this is the first of our live sessions in our afternoon programme. And welcome for those of you joining us. If you've missed some of the morning sessions and would like to catch up on those, they will be available very shortly on the live stream account. And then shortly after that, they'll be on the Student Hub Live YouTube channel and in other places.
Now, I must tell you that the faculty of STEM have an amazing Facebook page and Twitter account where there's loads of information. So it's a great way to keep up to date with research, some of the academics within the faculty, and what's going on. So you can follow STEM on Twitter. Their handle is @OU_STEM.
And Facebook is The Open University STEM, @OpenUniversitySTEM. And also today, we're using our hashtag #StudentHubLive18 and #OUSTEMShowcase. Now, chatting to other people and asking questions is a very important part of participating in this live event. And Scott and Sarah are here to be talking to you today in the chat. How are you both? And welcome.
SCOTT: Really good, thank you.
SARAH: Thank you, good.
KAREN FOLEY: Excellent. Well, I imagine a lot of people have had lunch. So let us know what you've had for lunch. We've been having some sandwiches today. And it's very hot and sunny in Milton Keynes where we are. But let us know what you've been eating for your lunch, what subjects you are studying, and also if you've got any questions. You can do that just by typing in the chat. And if there's something that you'd like us to pick up on that you don't want to put in the chat, you can email us at StudentHub@Open.ac.uk.
And we will pick that up and get back to you later. OK, in this session, we'll talk about something very, very important, which is student support and careers. So welcome to the studio, Fareeha Karim and Catrin Davies. We're going to take a look at Student Support Team and also careers, two excellent sources of support for Open University students.
Whilst many students may have heard about these things, I'm hoping that you can fill us in on what's new and why students should really be engaging with these various departments. So I wonder if you can give us an introduction first to what the Student Support Team do and why students should contact them.
FAREEHA KARIM: OK, so the Student Support Team are obviously based in offices across the UK. We run according to the Information, Advice, and Guidance Matrix, which you've probably heard before from previous streams. So we're comprised of Student Recruitment, Senior Advisors, and Educational Advisors. So student recruitment basically deal with all the information side of things. They provide you with all the relevant information that you need to know.
KAREN FOLEY: So if students aren't sure which module to do, which pathway to go on, then those are the people who can really give them information?
FAREEHA KARIM: Kind of. It's more like if you're thinking about doing a maths degree, you'll have a Student Recruitment Advisor tell you which maths degrees there are. You nicely bring me to the point of Senior Advisors, where they basically encompass the advice section of it. So if you need help choosing a pathway or different modules on a specific maths qualification, then you're probably gain advice from a Senior Advisor.
And then you've got the Educational Advisors. So they provide the guidance. Basically, they go a bit deeper into conversations with students, particularly if students have certain barriers that are impacting their ability to study. So they go into the more practical side of things. So that's how we work. That's what we're made up of.
KAREN FOLEY: But students don't need to worry about what job titles people have got. Because basically, you've got a wonderful system of triaging students and getting the right person to talk to them at the right time. So they just need to basically call up. And the Student Support Team for STEM are based in Manchester. Scott and Sarah, you work for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Student Support Team, just over the road here in Milton Keynes.
And we've also got Well-being, Education, Languages, and Sports in Nottingham, so as you say various places around the country. But what is brilliant about the Student Support Teams-- and we've been to a number of the different locations here at Student Hub Live. And again, we're going to go and see what the Manchester office is like-- is that they're real people. And students often laugh, saying, actually, I didn't know I could talk to somebody so friendly and nice as you. So what sorts of things might students be phoning up about now? What sorts of concerns do you think they might want to be thinking about? And how can you help?
FAREEHA KARIM: So in the immediate future, we've actually got the results week coming out. So the results are due to come out on the 17th of July. And so a lot of students will probably get in touch with those to just seek advice on the next module choices or the next steps moving forward. They may even try and get in touch with Careers if they're at the end of their qualification and they're wondering where to go with that.
So that's the immediate future. We've had registration that's been open since the end of March. So for modules that start in October, students need to register by the 13th of September. So we do get quite a few calls sometimes, just general calls, people asking what's the best way to go about looking into your studies, what's the best way to research. So we can provide external resources, resources that we provide, such as OpenLearn resources, just to allow people to get an idea of what it's like to study.
KAREN FOLEY: One of the things I hear students talking a lot about at the moment is finance. And whilst that's often different in all the nations, but it's not something that we necessarily control at the Open University. Because it's Student Finance England or Wales, for example. But you can help students with part of those application processes, can't you?
FAREEHA KARIM: Yeah, absolutely, particularly with things like Tuition Fee Loan, and Student Finance. Obviously, it's a different organisation. But we deal with it every year for a lot of students. So if anyone is ever struggling with that process about how to apply, which loan to apply for, if you need some advice, we can basically help you with that. We've got out own Student Fees Team who can basically talk to you about which forms to fill in, how to fill it in. And if there's anything that we can't answer, then we'll probably try and let you know who you can speak to in the student finance organisation to help.
KAREN FOLEY: Now, some students don't like talking to people. They may prefer to communicate on email. Or they may prefer to look information up themselves.
FAREEHA KARIM: Yeah, absolutely. I speak to a lot of people who might get a bit anxious on the phone. Or they just don't like speaking to people over the phone. So I'll say, "If you want to communicate by email, that's absolutely fine." At times, we can point you to resources by sending links and things.
So there is a lot that we can do over email. Obviously, we do try and cater to what people are comfortable with. Because if they're not comfortable with anything in particular, we'll try our best to cater for it. It's more just a case of letting us know. And we'll try and see the best way that we can support them.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant. And is there any point in students phoning up and asking when their results data is due? Because I know everyone's really anxious. Any correspondence from the Open University, they'll be like, "I want my results." Will they come early?
FAREEHA KARIM: To be honest, we don't have any information before the students have that information anyway. So the date at the moment is the 17th of July. It's unlikely that we'd get any information before the students.
KAREN FOLEY: Because there's a very rigorous process which we've all been going through, in terms of the module results panels, the various award boards, cluster boards, et cetera, collating all the students' marks. And so there's not much anybody can actually do in terms of bringing those dates forward.
FAREEHA KARIM: That's true.
CATRIN DAVIES: Yeah.
KAREN FOLEY: OK, but a good chance to start looking at the next modules, looking at finance, getting everything sorted, and enrolled on ahead. Because some modules do have limited numbers. So it's important to get on the pathway and confirm your place.
FAREEHA KARIM: Yeah, particularly with modules at stage two and three, particularly with the project modules and things like that. So it is better to look into things early on so that you can give us a call, ask us any questions, and hopefully have enough time to make your decision and get on to the modules that you want to get on to.
KAREN FOLEY: Now, we've heard from some students today. Diana was saying this morning when we were talking about field trips, she was saying you know that her disability means that she'd be very interested in doing something, but she was worried about going on field trips. And I know that the Student Support Team will often liaise with DSA and help students to be able to accommodate their various requirements basically. How might students start engaging with you? And how might they then up putting those things in place so that they get the right study pathways and modules for them?
FAREEHA KARIM: So it can be quite a long process. But the important thing is to get your foot in the door. So just contacting us, letting us know if you've got any kind of disabilities or difficulties, anything that you're anxious about. So if people are anxious about the residential schools and things like that, a lot of times we've got our own Disability Support Team. So they can talk you through applying for the DSA.
They go as far as helping you out with the form, if there's anything you don't understand on there. Further to that, if you speak to us, we've got information about the modules. So if it's a case of you want to do a certain module and there's a residential school on there but you don't want to attend it, we'll look at whether it is compulsory and whether we can basically put an alternative learning experience in there for you. And I know that on some of the modules that that is possible. So it's literally just a case of getting in touch with us and letting us know.
KAREN FOLEY: Now, one of the initiatives I know that you've been really focusing on is helping students to progress and to qualify. I mean, it's I think a it's a government concern now making sure that people who engage in higher education are doing so for a valued reason and that they're supported in there. How is the Student Support Team helping students to progress and qualify?
FAREEHA KARIM: So we've actually got a specific More Students Qualifying Team. So it's a team that's dedicated to proactive, outbound contact with our students. It is on different modules. So its not just one module that we're focusing on. But we try and encompass all the STEM faculties.
We contact them at each stage of their module journey or study journey. So some contacts will be before the module starts. Some will be during. And some will be towards the end. And it's just basically for us to pick up on students who, if they've not studied with us before, we can give them a lot of information about the important areas to look on the website. And if it is during their studies, we can talk about any support that they might be needing if anything is impacting their studies.
So it's literally just when you receive these kind of calls saying, "we just want to speak to you about your studies." There's nothing to worry about. It's just we're checking up. We're seeing how we can improve our service and help the students and seeing if they've got anything that they need help with.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant, OK. And of course, there were different start dates throughout the year. We've got the September start, which is the most common. But there are other start dates. And many of our students will be on February presentations, which means that they're still studying throughout the summer.
FAREEHA KARIM: That's right, yeah. That's mainly for stage one modules. But there are some, obviously, at later stages where they will have February or April start dates.
KAREN FOLEY: OK, brilliant. But as you said, and as we've heard today, some of these modules that require field trips and residential aspects to them, students need to get places on early, don't they?
FAREEHA KARIM: They do. Especially if you do have things like DSA to sort out student finance, things like that can take quite a few weeks. So we do encourage people to-- although, 13th of September is quite far away, it is better to get the process started earlier on, just so you've got enough time and you're not worrying or getting too anxious closer to the time.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant. Now, I want to talk about Careers. Because Fareeha said students may be approaching the end of their qualification might talk to Careers. And I know that many of your colleagues would say that that's far too late in the day to be talking to the Career Service, that you should speak to them right before you enrol. Well, you can't before you enrol, but very early on in your learning journey.
CATRIN DAVIES: Yes. I mean, we'd do want to say, I think, like, Student Support Teams, we're here to support right through the learning journey. You don't necessarily need it. For example, we have a great interactive website. We've got the subject sites which give information about, for example, typical careers that people might go into from your qualification.
But yes, we are here to support. And we would say, if there is a concern or there's something you'd like to discuss, please don't leave it 'til the end. Because in some careers-- for example, in teaching, actually you need to plan your route through to make sure that you hit the targets that are needed. So I think it can be useful to speak to us earlier. But we are also here for up to three years after you graduate.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant. All right, let's take a step to see what the Hot Desk are doing right now and how everyone is at home. I hear a lot of people are waiting for their exam results and talking about when to register. Scott and Sarah?
SCOTT: Yeah, we're getting a lot of messages in regarding results. We definitely want to hear what their concerns and questions are in regards that. Hopefully, it's a nice time at the moment, thinking positively, using the time while you can before the results. But keep us in mind, the Student Support Teams, when you are getting your results in as well.
SARAH: Yeah, and we have had quite a few students worrying about not being able to register before they get their results. So we're just saying that they can reserve a place. As long as they've registered before registration closes, they should be fine.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant. So there's some great advice there. Because I guess this is a quite common concern for students.
SARAH: Yeah. It is. And I've just said to the students as well, a lot of the staff are actually studying as well. So we've got an idea of what they're going through.
KAREN FOLEY: Yes. And so many people who have come along today have been saying, oh yes, I'm also-- I mean, I'm still an OU student.
CATRIN DAVIES: Yeah, me too.
KAREN FOLEY: So we can't stop studying. I'm doing engineering next. I've already committed to that. So yeah, we'll have a look at that. But yes, I mean, we all do know what it's about. And I guess it's one of those things where you're waiting for results. And it's that question of, one, will I pass or not? And also how do I feel about those results? Do people ever phone up and say, oh, I'm gutted about this? Or I just need someone to talk to who understands the whole thing with it. Because it's a really anxious time of year for some people.
FAREEHA KARIM: Yeah, it's quite an intense journey, I would say. And obviously, if you come to us and whatever you're speaking to us about, it is all confidential. We try to provide a peace of mind for our students and things. So even if it is just, "Oh, I didn't get the result I expected. I'm not happy with this," we'll still see if there's anything we can do at least to make you feel better. Because it is quite an intense journey. If you're studying a course part time, typically it takes six years. It's a big investment, a lot of time and effort. So yeah, I would say nothing is too small to come to us with essentially.
CATRIN DAVIES: And I think to follow on from that, in Careers, one of the things-- have we're offering a webinar, for example, about staying motivated after results. Because we're aware it's an issue that comes up a lot. And it's nice for students to get together as a community to interact with a Careers Consultant, but to hear the broader messages, that this is something we're here to support you with. So that's one of the webinars we have coming up this summer.
KAREN FOLEY: I mean, Careers do an amazing range of things from helping write your CV, to various things. But you're doing a lot of specific things that STEM students might want to know about.
CATRIN DAVIES: Yes. I mean, it's the time of year where STEM students-- for example, engineering students will be at residential school. So for example, we're going to be running pop-up career stands at the engineering residential schools in Bath. There have been a range of things, for example, the Math and Stats Day in Manchester. And we ran workshops there and had the chance for informal conversations.
Through the year, we run specific careers forums targeting students on specific qualifications. So you can see, for example, what the career's queries are if students who are further on in your qualification. You can chip with your advice or your experience. Or we know that 70% of our students are already in the workplace.
So they're offering brilliant insight, both from their experience as an OU student, but also as a practitioner, or somebody who is on the same module and who gets the wider implications. So those are something that we run right through the year. I mean, what's happening this summer-- for example, we're aware that OU students have got really busy lives, their time poor. And so some of the messages that might be targeted at students in other universities about two or six week placements over the summer, that can be an opportunity.
But it can be a pressure. And so for example, our Employer Engagement Team, who've been newly set up, have organised one day employer in-site visits to sites across the UK. So for example, we've got an opportunity coming up just for OU students in STEM to visit the health care and pharma giant, GlaxoSmithKline, which, I mean, is just amazing. It's like hen's teeth. And this is offered specifically for OU students.
Because employers get that our students are really strong, they're really resilient, they've got experience already, they're based all over the UK. And employers want to know more about who we are and to give students the chance to have these short sharp conversations to find out more, to meet people who are already in this specific workplace, and to test out what their fit is before they actually decide is this something I want to focus on more.
KAREN FOLEY: And I've been-- because I follow STEM on Facebook. There have been some amazing opportunities there for students. So if you want to keep abreast of those and just see what's going on even if it's not something you're considering right now, then do like the page on Facebook, which is Open University STEM. So if you do a search for that, you should be able to like that page. And also the Twitter handle is @OU_STEM. So make sure you keep up to those to see about all of those exciting opportunities.
CATRIN DAVIES: And actually Karen, if I could come in there-- because I think one of the things that I'm learning as well as a practitioner is quite how crosscutting STEM is. And so one might think, "Well, I'm studying computing. I'm looking just for opportunities in computing." But I was at an event yesterday, which was showing the wide range of opportunities for people in computer modelling in the pharmaceuticals industry.
So I think even if you think, "Well, I'm not so sure about that. I really know nothing about this. But I'm aware there's a cluster of employers local to me," do find out more. And again, get in touch with us in Careers. And we can help you talk through your aspirations and how you might bring it into being.
KAREN FOLEY: Now, what sorts of ways do you talk to people then? What are the options for people? Because I they can book Skype meetings with the Careers Team. And also you've got web chat and various other ways that people can connect.
CATRIN DAVIES: Yes. So we want to be where the students are. So I mean, normally, we offer Skype appointments. We also offer e-guidance by email. We have a very comprehensive website, which has-- I mean, it's more than just a passive website. We have things, for example, like an interview simulator.
If you're aware you've got an interview the next day and you'd actually like a chance to rehearse them chances but it's 7 o'clock at night, well, you could do that. We also offer Facebook chats at lunchtimes. And our webinars are lunchtimes and in the evenings. And if you can't make the live recording, which is often the case, then we have them on our website to view afterwards. So yeah, please be in contact.
KAREN FOLEY: And you can find Careers and also Support for Students as well from the Student Home Page. And they're fairly clearly signposted. You've also got a Facebook account, don't you?
CATRIN DAVIES: We have got a Facebook account. We've got Twitter. We offer podcasts. I'm sure I'll remember a whole range of things once I've gone.
KAREN FOLEY: No, there is. There's a whole wealth of opportunity both for subject-specific and, as you say, for those broad things.
CATRIN DAVIES: Actually, sorry. We're also on the subject sites. That's been a real push this year. So there are Career pages on the STEM subjects sites. And that's something that we've been really trying to get more information that's focused on where students are at now, so the queries that come up on specific qualifications.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant. I'd like to take a quick trip to Scott and Sarah and see how everyone at home is doing.
SCOTT: Everyone at home is getting in contact at the moment about their future modules as well. We've got a lot of conversations about what's being delivered to them, so if they're receiving the module materials in book form or online, and just a lot of students looking forward to their next module. So please keep the messages coming in.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant, thank you. That's a really good point. You mentioned students getting in touch if they've got a disability and also with module materials. And many subjects in STEM are very heavily online. And we do offer a range of ways of alternative formats for students where that is appropriate.
FAREEHA KARIM: Yeah, absolutely. In terms of if people have-- even if they don't have disabilities, if they struggle with something and they need an alternative format-- so a very common one is, with books, if they are getting a textbook posted out, you can ask them to be comb bound so they lie flat on the surface.
So obviously that can have a range of benefits. People have mobility issues in their hands. Or even if you've got a young child who is dependent on them and they need to study at the same time-- you don't have to have a disability. It's just anything where you feel a different format would be useful.
You can give us a call and ask. So we've got, obviously, the comb bound. We've got something which is called print on demand. That's accessible to any student. But it's only available for certain modules. But it is basically where you can print off the online material. So that's for people who, if it's difficult for them to get to a computer, or if they just don't like being at a screen whilst they're studying, they can print that off.
We have DAISY books where, if your eyesight isn't very good or if for whatever reason you find it difficult to read, it basically dictates out to you so you can listen. And we also have software where you can speak into it, dictate into it, and it'll write out for you. So again, if you have any kind of mobility issues or anything like that.
KAREN FOLEY: So now might be a good time to think of how to make your studying easier for you.
FAREEHA KARIM: Definitely, yeah.
KAREN FOLEY: And it's a busy time of year. It looked quite busy in Manchester.
FAREEHA KARIM: It is. Because obviously, we're just on the comedown from exams. And we've got the results week coming. We're still speaking to a lot of students who are worried about the exams they've taken. Or they are anticipating what their results will be and therefore what the next steps are. Also because registration is open, so we are getting a lot of students through who just want general advice. They want to know what options they've got, what the implications of those options are.
A lot of times, I feel like a student calls us and they already have their mind made up. They just want that kind of validation, that, "OK, I'm doing everything right. I've looked into everything." And even if it is the case, we still encourage it. Because at the end of the day, we like to hear from students. We like to help. So any way that we can support them, we welcome it.
KAREN FOLEY: Brilliant. Well, Fareeha, Catrin, thank you so much for coming along today. And thank you to Liz and colleagues in the Manchester office. I'm sorry the internet link wasn't ideal. But it was great to be able to see you and get a sense of where everyone is. So if you've enjoyed join that session, make sure that you think about your studies, what you might need, and how you might find the information in the most appropriate way for you.
We're now going to have a short video break where we're going to look at top career tips with Kate and Alex. Then we're back for our mathematics and statistics session where we will be taking a look at the four colour theorem, and chaos theory, and the butterfly effect. I'm really looking forward to this next session. I'll see you then.
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