How To: Ask your Employer for Financial Assistance
Because a degree like the W. P. Carey MSIM can pay immediate and long-term dividends for an organization, many companies have tuition reimbursement programs set in place. They see the benefits of forward-thinking, motivated employees who can bring solutions from the classroom to real-world problems and the value in helping those employees strengthen their skills and learn new ones. Check with your human resources representative to learn more about your employer’s policies.
Steve Westwood, a current MSIM student, said he began by talking to his direct supervisor to seek his opinion on the value of the MSIM curriculum, and how it related to his work at SRP. “I wanted to keep my supervisor in the entire process to garner his support throughout the program and I wanted to use my newly gained knowledge to support our departmental goals and objectives in information management. I crafted an MSIM business need document that would highlight our department’s efforts to attain new knowledge, preserve institutional knowledge, contribute to IT projects and to support the SRP information management initiatives underway across the enterprise.”
Thanks in part to his employer’s assistance, the MSIM gave Steve the edge in leveraging SRP’s information assets to more efficiently complete research and projects.
Here are some key points to discuss when asking for financial assistance and support from your employer:
- With an advanced education you are more capable in handling positions of higher responsibilities – saving your employer time and money.
- The MSIM is flexible – You can take the program in the evening or online.
- You will gain a competitive advantage – bringing improved skills and knowledge to your job.
- You will maintain productivity at work – it won’t interfere with your job.
- You will learn on your own time, but bring valuable principles back to work the next day.
MSIM alumna Mary Harris framed her request for tuition assistance and management support in two ways. “First, I tied the MSIM curriculum to key initiatives that my division has prioritized and my department is expected to deliver.”
Her commitment to Intel was to bring back industry information coupled with the expertise of the MSIM faculty. “The second thing was that I aligned the request to my individual career development plan that I discuss with my manager on a regular basis.”
Mary said her manager was in full support of her pursuing the MSIM program as she saw Mary improving and validating Intel’s approaches through the skills she learned in the program.
Learn more about all the financial aid options available to you as an MSIM student. And identify ways the degree could not only help you but also your organization as you begin to explore employer reimbursement.
