Matthew Groves, Business Analyst Business and Management - student stories

Why did you study at the OU?

I signed up with the OU because the whole structure of its learning programmes seemed to make sense. I had been in financial services for a number of years but I realised that to further my career I would need professional qualifications – and as I needed to fit study round work, the OU was the best choice.

I’d started a degree at a campus-based university when I was younger and the OU awarded me 120 credits for that, meaning I needed only another 240 for a business studies degree. The courses I did were excellent – I’m a business analyst at Nationwide’s head office and the content of the courses was really relevant to my job. They tied in so well that I could apply what I’d learned to my work, while my job gave me great case studies to use in my OU assignments.

How have your studies helped your career?

The study brought benefits to me, and what I have learned brings value to my employers. Business analysis can in some instances be very poorly conducted – firms often repeat the same mistakes, but think they’ve changed because the mistakes have been made in a slightly different way. The OU courses I studied helped to demonstrate the current position of a business, identify desirable alternatives and solutions and how to get there – recognising the importance of demonstrating actual change rather than the appearance of it.

I received a Nationwide award because of my studies and my subsequent promotion to senior business analyst was certainly assisted by the experience and knowledge I gained with the OU.

What are you doing currently?

I am taking a break from my studies at the moment – I’ve recently become a father to twins, who obviously give me a new priority! I remain a great believer in lifelong learning and the OU’s Master in Business Administration is extremely suitable for my job, so I will be returning to the OU in the future.

I can’t think of any other way I could have gained qualifications while working full time. The quality of the materials and the positive impact on my career completely justified my decision to study with the OU. I’ve really enjoyed the OU experience – and hope to soon repeat it.