Customer story: Oaklands

A student exploring careers via the Future You WhatsApp Flow

The challenge

"I don’t know what I want to do."

Oaklands College welcomes thousands of prospective students to its open events each year, but around half arrive unsure about their future. "We don’t have trouble attracting students," says Peter Hudson, Head of Marketing. "But many still say, I don’t know what I want to do."

Traditional channels weren’t working. Emails went unread, calls unanswered, and most registrations used a parent’s email address — cutting students out of the conversation entirely. For neurodivergent or anxious students, the barriers were even higher.

A small WhatsApp re-engagement trial during enrolment changed everything: over 1,000 applicants engaged at a 90% rate, far outperforming email and phone. The question became — could WhatsApp also support meaningful careers guidance, not just reminders?

It’s about giving students a way to explore options themselves — quietly, on their phone, before talking to anyone face-to-face.

Peter Hudson Head of Marketing, Oaklands College

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The Solution: Turning Guidance into a Conversation

Future You uses Flowella to turn traditional careers forms into conversational WhatsApp journeys, with all data flowing back into HubSpot.

Students opt in by scanning a QR code at open events or school visits, then complete a short, neurodiversity-inclusive survey using accessible options like emojis. They share interests, learning preferences, and potential barriers — directly, without parents in the loop. With over 40% of Oaklands’ students identifying as neurodivergent, this low-pressure, private format was essential.

Flowella suggests three career areas aligned with Oaklands’ prospectus. Students who upload a photo receive an AI-generated image of themselves in a future role; those who don’t get a visual representing the career setting. Holding messages highlight sports academies and university progression routes.

The language and tone were crucial. We’re speaking the way students actually communicate.
— Peter Hudson

In the press

The story spread.

Coverage from across the FE sector — and there’s room for more.

▶ Story · Oaklands College Future You — Oaklands College students

Hear it from the team

See Future You in action.

A short film from OA Media on how the Future You experience changed open day at Oaklands College — and what students made of it.

Request a demo Try on WhatsApp

90% WhatsApp engagement

160% More same-day applications

Gold FE First Award 2026

The outcome

A step change in applications.

Three weekends of open events, three numbers worth pinning to the wall.

At the October 2025 open days, same-day applications rose 160% — 257 more than previous events. Over the full weekend, applications increased 130%, with 349 additional applications. Each enrolment represents roughly £6,000 in annual funding.

Communication quality transformed too. Where email averaged 15% open rates, WhatsApp achieved 80%+ open and action rates, with total engagement near 90%. In surveys, 81% of students preferred WhatsApp to email — 4.4× higher than the alternatives.

Staff noticed students arriving at subject stands with clearer questions and greater readiness to apply. Parents described their children as more decisive. Students called the quiz "fun," "helpful," and "like chatting with a friend." One parent shared that their anxious teenager left with "a real sense of direction" — proof that digital guidance can be deeply human.

See it for your team

Want results like these?

We can walk you through how a Future You-style WhatsApp experience could work for your audience. Free 14-day trial, no code, no middleware.

Request a demo → Try on WhatsApp

Future You on WhatsApp

"I don’t know what I want to do."

The Solution: Turning Guidance into a Conversation

See Future You in action.

Want results like these?