From Open Day to Graduation Stage: Colm’s Global Journey with The Open University

In 2015, Colm walked into an Open University Open Day in Dublin, curious but unsure. Almost a decade later, he's crossed the graduation stage at Croke Park, proudly receiving his Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) degree. It's was a journey of personal growth, global moves, and unwavering determination. 

Colm’s Open University story began with a gentle nudge from someone who believed in him.  

“I’d been casually considering it,” he says, “but it was my girlfriend at the time, now my wife, who surprised me and said, ‘OK, we’re going to go to the OU Open Day.’ She found out where it was and made it happen. She’s been amazing and supportive throughout.” 

He enrolled in September 2015 and soon discovered that studying with the OU meant his education could travel with him. From Dublin to Budapest, and later Madrid, Colm adapted his studies to fit around his fast-changing life. 

“Waiting on a train, waiting on a bus, I'd read chapters while I was on the metro in Madrid as well.  I had the app on my phone, PDFs on Google Drive, and a tablet that I upgraded as I went. If I was waiting for a train or sitting on a bus, I’d be reading course materials. It was all about squeezing study into my day, wherever I could.” 

The path to graduation wasn’t always linear. Colm paused modules, changed jobs, moved countries, got married, and even volunteered to help refugees at Budapest’s train station during the early days of the Russia-Ukraine war.  The flexibility of the OU allowed him to keep going, no matter what life threw his way. 

His approach to studying evolved alongside him. He leaned on productivity tools like Pomodoro and “chunking” to manage complex subjects like thermodynamics. But perhaps the biggest shift was in mindset. 

“I learned to let go of perfection.  Sometimes, good enough is exactly what’s needed. That realisation pushed me through.  I even mentored a fellow OU student in Madrid and told her the same, you don’t need perfect, aim for progress”.” 

For Colm, the significance of his achievement began to settle in in phases.  “I’m really excited and happy. It’s happened in phases, first finishing the EMA, then seeing the email that I passed, but it only really hit me when I got the degree certificate in the post. I looked at it and thought, Wow. I actually have one of these. I’ll probably have another one of those moments when I walk across the Croke Park stage.” 

Now working as a Software Quality Engineer with TUI in Madrid, Colm’s career journey is as non-traditional as it is impressive. 

“My interviewers said my CV showed a journey of lifelong learning. I’d moved from customer service to tech writing to quality assurance. The OU helped me build and articulate those transferable skills.” 

His OU experience continues to shape his life in other ways too. As a trustee on a charity board, Colm uses the time management, communication, and leadership skills he developed during his degree to make a meaningful impact. 

 Throughout his studies, Colm found community in unexpected places, from responsive tutors to peer support via WhatsApp groups,  

“There’s a skill in knowing how to ask tutors questions and understanding what answer an exam or TMA question really wants. My background in tech writing helped, but I also learned from my peers. There’s a really nice community within the OU. I’ve made friends I still keep in touch with.” 

Reflecting on the journey, he’s clear: “I don’t think I would’ve been as successful without the OU’s flexibility. I needed time after school to figure out what I wanted. The OU gave me space to grow, to pause, and to keep going.” 

From Dublin to Budapest to Madrid, and from open day to graduation day, Colm’s story shows that with the right support, persistence, and a willingness to adapt, lifelong learning really can take you anywhere.