“It seemed like a no-brainer to me” - the benefits of combining work and study

When Darcy Leishman finished her A Levels, she was torn between going to university and looking for a job. And then she was offered the opportunity to combine the two – she got a place on a programme at a professional services company that enabled her to study for a business management degree whilst in paid employment.

“It seemed like a no-brainer to me – to be able to get four years’ worth of work experience and a degree, at the same time,” explained Darcy.

That was four years ago and in September of this year, Darcy graduated from her BA Honours course, alongside her cohort of 18 fellow students, all of whom worked at Deloitte while taking a degree through the Open University (OU).

Not only that – Darcy has also been promoted several times during the past four years. She joined Deloitte as a technology and transformation analyst, was promoted to Senior Analyst a couple of years later and then was promoted again, this time into a consultant role, where she is now.

Real life work experience

Throughout all that time, Darcy has gained invaluable experience of working life and built up a strong network in her business community. She really enjoyed being able to apply her learning in real time, with two modules proving particularly useful. One was a first-year module called Business Data Analytics, covering applications such as Excel. The other, Communication Skills in Business Management, was in the final year and involved group project work. “We had to analyse a case study, put together a PowerPoint deck and present it to the board [using skills developed in previous modules]. That definitely helped with my day-to-day working, my presentation skills and working within a team. It was really helpful.”

Claire Maguire, Senior Lecturer and Programme Director at the OU’s Business School, thinks studying and working at the same time creates a very effective learning experience.

Students can reflect on real workplace situations, develop their confidence and see the impact of their learning in real time. By the time they graduate, they not only have a respected qualification but also years of professional experience, a strong network of colleagues and a clear understanding of how their learning applies in practice.

Claire Maguire Senior Lecturer and Programme Director, Open University Business School

Flexibility and support

While working and studying at the same time is demanding, Darcy says the workload was manageable and that flexibility in Deloitte’s approach made it easier. All the students worked Monday to Thursday, with Friday set aside as study leave. Lectures and tutorials were scheduled for Fridays, but Darcy says the tutors were flexible and supportive, and she could reach out during the week if she needed to.

All the tutors were really helpful – like making themselves available for a call during the week to run through an assignment. I could contact them by email or put in a Teams call with them and have a chat.

Darcy Leishman OU business management graduate

One of Darcy’s reservations about going straight into employment was that she would miss out on the social side of university life. However, she soon built a strong rapport with the other students. “Some of my best friends come from work and this scheme. We are all really close. Even though we didn’t have to, sometimes we would go into the office together on a Friday, book out a meeting room and study alongside each other, sharing ideas, revision techniques and best practice.”

Record numbers of teenage OU undergraduates

An increasing number of young people are taking the same route as Darcy – opting to earn and learn at the same time. Recent figures show that the number of teenagers taking a degree through the OU has risen by more than a third since the 2019/20 academic year, with almost four in ten new OU undergraduates now aged under 25. In the 2025/26 academic year, a record number of students aged 18 or 19 (3,398) began undergraduate studies, a 9% rise on the previous year.

According to the OU’s Business Barometer 2026 report, combining work and online study is key to solving skills shortages and helping more NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training) access employment and kickstart their careers. The report found that 70% of NEETs said their want to upskill to boost their careers and almost eight in ten would stay loyal to an employer investing in training beyond their role.

Darcy says her experience of working while studying through the OU has been so positive that she would definitely recommend it to anyone. She feels very grateful to her employer for the opportunity and how they encouraged her to contribute from day one. “The responsibilities they gave us straight away showed that they really valued us. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about it.”

Claire Maguire added: “As part of a highly successful Deloitte UK cohort, Darcy's achievement is also part of a fantastic collective success story. Seeing all 19 students complete the programme and achieve such strong results has been a real pleasure. Darcy's contribution to that success is something she should celebrate. Her hard work and dedication have truly paid off, and I am excited to see what she goes on to achieve next.”

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