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Future You on WhatsApp

How Oaklands College and Discover Digital Turned Conversations into Conversions

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Future You
90%
WhatsApp engagement
130%
Increase in weekend applications
160%
Increase in same day applications

Oaklands College is a large Further Education provider in Hertfordshire serving over 7,000 learners. Midway through a £160m transformation programme, the college partnered with Discover Digital to solve a persistent challenge: strong open event attendance but low conversion to applications, especially among undecided 16–18-year-olds.

Together we created Future You — a WhatsApp-based careers guidance experience powered by Flowella and integrated with HubSpot. The goal: meet students in a channel they actually use and help them move from uncertainty to confident decisions.

The Challenge: "I Don't Know What I Want to Do"

Oaklands' open events are always busy, but around half of attendees 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 communication wasn't working. Emails went unread, phone calls unanswered, and most registrations used parents' email addresses, cutting students out entirely. For neurodivergent or anxious students, the barriers were even greater.

Oaklands wanted to make career exploration more accessible, private, and natural for Gen Z.

The catalyst was a small trial during enrolment. WhatsApp messages re-engaged over 1,000 applicants with a 90% engagement rate — far outperforming email and phone.

"They either replied straight away or did what we asked," says Peter. "It was the best response we'd ever seen."

Could WhatsApp support meaningful guidance, not just reminders?

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By combining empathy with innovation, Oaklands College and Discover Digital have turned a traditional careers quiz into an inclusive, mobile-first experience.

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More importantly, Future You has changed how students feel about choosing their path. It's guidance that fits their world — conversational, visual, and on their terms.

By meeting students where they are, Oaklands and Discover Digital have shown that thoughtful digital engagement makes guidance more human, more inclusive, and more effective.

The Solution: Turning Guidance into a Conversation

Future You uses Flowella to turn traditional forms into conversational WhatsApp journeys, with all data integrated 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. This gives them direct control — no parent email addresses required.

They share interests, learning preferences, and potential barriers. With over 40% of Oaklands students identifying as neurodivergent, this low-pressure, private format was essential.

"It's about giving students a way to explore options themselves," Peter says. "They can do it quietly on their phone before talking to anyone face-to-face."

Flowella suggests three career areas aligned with Oaklands' career-focused prospectus. Students who upload a photo receive an AI-generated image of themselves in a potential 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," Peter adds. "We're speaking the way students actually communicate."

Celebrating success

A gold award for Future You!

Gold award winner - Flowella

 

At the FE First Awards 2026 Oaklands College received the gold award for creativity and innovation for Future You , but it wasn't the only award of the evening. It was a fabulous triple win - Oaklands College Wins Big!

 

 

 

The Outcome: A Step Change in Applications

At the October 2025 open days, same-day applications rose 160% (257 more than previous events). Over the full weekend, applications increased 130% (349 additional applications).

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Each additional enrolment represents roughly £6,000 in annual funding.

Communication quality transformed. 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 times higher.

Crucially, it put students at the centre of the conversation.

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.