How To Secure Company Support For Further Education

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

As the famous quote goes, if you invest in education, you will benefit throughout your life. But it can be difficult to continue your education if you are still pursuing a professional career at the same time. Cost-effective ways need to be found as far as time and/or financial resources. One of the preferred practices to remove barriers on your continuing education path is to apply for financial support from your employer for professional development and training.Most companies support training as a benefit for their employees. To apply for training, it is important to show the need for and the benefits of the programme – for you but also for the company.

We have put together some practical tips on how to secure your company’s support:

1. Research your options for further education

Before approaching your employer, it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want to study and why. Research different programs, schools, and online options to find the best fit for your goals and schedule.

2. Understand your employer’s policies

Many employers have policies in place for tuition reimbursement or professional development opportunities. Make sure you understand what your employer offers and how to apply for these programs.

3. Share your goals

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to study, schedule a meeting with your supervisor to discuss your plans. Make sure to explain how the education will benefit both you and the company and how you plan to balance your work and studies. Highlight how the knowledge and skills you will gain will contribute to the company’s growth and success.

Stating personal impact

Explaining how the programme can help you better manage your current tasks and projects shows that you want to advance your career. From the employer’s point of view, this is a positive aspect: you improve your skills, have more knowledge in your field or acquire soft skills that will show in your professional demeanour. All this leads to greater efficiency which your employer will want to encourage.

Enhancing team performance

Besides the personal impact, the training programme can also benefit your team. You can offer to share the key learnings from the programme with your supervisor and the team on a regular basis. In this way, you will contribute to the development of your colleagues and the positive effects for the company will multiply.

Better business decisions

The knowledge you gain will help your company make better business decisions, attract new customers, improve your operations, be more sustainable, etc. You will be able to explain to your employer that you will make a greater contribution to the area of work for which you are responsible, thus taking the company’s performance to the next level.

Continuing education can help you step into a future role or take on additional projects and tasks that are strategically important for the company. This is especially helpful if there is a change or upheaval coming in your industry. Employees with up-to-date knowledge are in demand. Your employer will definitely want to be ahead of developments.

4. Present industry facts

In the context of the argument above, you can cite some industry facts to support your request. Industry facts can show your employer a tangible result, making it easier to justify the use of resources such as your time and the company’s budget. Current industry topics, innovations, deepening skills that are becoming more important – you can help keep the company up to date with your continuing education.

You can find this and various topics such as different funding and support options in our new Sponsorship Guide – for example, for our “Additive Manufacturing” program.

5. Contact your training provider

Contact the training provider for more information about the respective training programme. They can provide you with some helpful tips for your request.

In conclusion, investing in your future education can benefit both you and your employer. You can convince your company to support your continuing education by presenting the advantages and coming prepared with a plan.