Thomas Barry

‘OU study unlocked career opportunities I never imagined were possible’

When Law student Thomas, 38, left the British Army, he had no idea what his future would look like. Now in the final year of his Open University (OU) degree, Thomas has secured a prestigious training contract with world leading law firm, Freshfields LLP, providing a dream start to his career in law.

Thomas shares how discovering the OU gave him the confidence to forge ahead with higher education, embracing a host of new opportunities along the way.

A new start

Having left school with few qualifications, Thomas feared his options would be limited when he left the armed forces.

“I didn’t know what I was going to do after the army, so I took a couple of GCSEs to open up my options,” Thomas explains. “I got on really well and it gave me the bug for learning.”

Unsure whether higher education was for him, Thomas decided to take one of the OU’s introductory courses to find out what he was capable of.

“I chose a Certificate of Higher Education in Law and French. I already spoke French, but I was really surprised how much I loved the law part of the course,” Thomas remembers. “I got a distinction in the end, which filled me with enough confidence to sign up for the degree.”

Opening opportunities

Keen to explore different avenues of support, Thomas engaged with the OU’s award-winning Careers and Employability Service, where he discovered an opportunity he couldn’t resist.

“The advisor encouraged me to apply for the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence scholarship scheme, which aims to address under-representation of Black men from less socially mobile backgrounds, in corporate law firms,” Thomas describes.

“I’d never heard of it before, but when I found out more, I had to give it a go.”

Faced with a rigorous and competitive assessment process, Thomas was up against around 3,000 applicants.

“It was an intense experience so I couldn’t believe that I was one of only 16 successful candidates,” says Thomas. “It was the OU that opened the door to that scholarship – I’ll always be grateful. In fact, another OU Law student was also accepted, and we’ve become really good friends.”

Grabbing every opportunity the scholarship had to offer with both hands, Thomas had the best seat in the house to delve into different aspects of law, giving him enough experience to narrow down the type of law he wanted to pursue.

“I got to spend time with all sorts of companies in a wide range of industries, which really opened my eyes and answered a lot of questions around specialisms,” says Thomas. “I realised that I want to practice corporate law and then started looking for training contracts in that field.”

In a hugely competitive market, Thomas’ resilience was tested as he received several disappointing responses.

“When those rejection letters drop on the door mat, it feels awful. You really need to be kind to yourself,” Thomas shares. “It’s the same with assignments, a disappointing result isn’t the end of the world. Just pick yourself up, read the feedback and implement it next time.”

Undeterred, Thomas kept plugging away until eventually the offer he dreamed of landed.

“It’s incredible to think of where I was when I left the army, and now I’m on course to be a lawyer by 2026, with a job in one of the best law firms in the world when I graduate!”

Juggling commitments

Choosing to study full time while holding down a busy security job has helped Thomas to become more organised with his time.

“I have to be very strict with calendar management because it can be quite tricky when I’m doing more than one module at once,” Thomas reflects.

“When I have two assignments, all the reading for both modules and my job to juggle it’s not easy.  The key is to keep on top my deadlines, be realistic about how much time I need to make edits and check my assignments against the guidance the OU provides, which is so helpful.”

Thomas’ busy schedule hasn’t deterred him from embracing the OU student community.

“There are lots of opportunities to connect with other students at the OU, whether it’s joining societies, forums or organised activities,” says Thomas.

“It might feel like another thing you need to find time for, but it’s rewarding and gives you a real sense of community.”

Reflecting on his OU journey so far, Thomas has this advice for anyone considering OU study:

“The OU opens up a world of possibilities, then it’s up to you to take them. You might feel daunted or doubt you can do it but studying at the OU is a gradual process, you build up your skills and abilities at a manageable pace. There are loads of resources to help you and you’re never left alone.”

Thomas adds, “I can’t recommend the OU highly enough, it’s an amazing university!”