Company Funded Graduate Degree

[HCMonolith]

I have seen similar threads on other websites, but have not been able to locate one on this site. If someone knows of one on here, please let me know.

Has anyone had a graduate degree funded by the company that they work/worked for?

If so,
What was the degree in?
What was your undergraduate degree in?
What was your current position within the company?
What company funded it?
How did you go about getting the company to fund the degree?
-> (How closely related to your work was it, or how far were you able to stretch it away from your actual work?)
How much were they willing to pay for tuition, books, etc.?
Why did you want to obtain the degree?
-> (Where did the degree take you?)
How long did it take you to earn the degree?
Was getting the degree worth it?

Obviously all of these questions don't have to be answered. I'd just like to get some examples/ideas.

 

[weldstan]

While I have not, I know of a number of individuals in my current company and others for which I have worked that have paid or recompensed graduate degrees. In most instances, the employees were handsomely rewarded at least after a few years. Being handsomely rewarded did not meam fewer duties but an evem greater work load at high compensation.

 

[zdas04]

I did.
[ul]
[li]MSME[/li]
[li]BSIM[/li]
[li]Retired, when I started the program I was managing small group in a huge company. I was still in that role when I graduated. Shortly after graduation I took over a different operation.[/li]
[li]The one I worked for.[/li]
[li]I filled out the form, my boss signed it, it went to HR.[/li]
[li]The degree was reasonably close to my work.[/li]
[li]They reimbursed (after successful completion) 100% of tuition and books. They also contributed a couple of truckloads of money to my thesis.[/li]
[li]I wanted the degree because I was in an Engineering position without the word "engineering" in my degree which caused some credibility issues[/li]
[li]2 years[/li]
[li]Absolutely[/li]
[/ul]

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

Law is the common force organized to act as an obstacle of injustice Frédéric Bastiat

 

[kylesito]

What was the degree in?

MBA

What was your undergraduate degree in?

BSCE

What was your current position within the company?

Senior Engineer

What company funded it?

Mine

How did you go about getting the company to fund the degree?

Told them I was interested in pursuing it and wondered what their interest level was in funding it

-> (How closely related to your work was it, or how far were you able to stretch it away from your actual work?)

I use the general concepts almost every day

How much were they willing to pay for tuition, books, etc.?

100% as long as I gave 1 year of service per semester

Why did you want to obtain the degree?

My undergrad degree had very little exposure to general business and economics...the MBA provided that.

-> (Where did the degree take you?)

Into a decision making role for the compnay

How long did it take you to earn the degree?

2 years (online)

Was getting the degree worth it?

So far. It made me regret how much time I wasted in my undergrad being distracted by the "college stuff". Undergrad is wasted on the young.

PE, SE
Eastern United States

"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi

 

[fegenbush]

kylesito:

"Undergrad is wasted on the young."

This is a true statement.

 

[mtu1972]

Has anyone had a graduate degree funded by the company that they work/worked for?

Yes and No. When I first applied I was working for a big company that would have reimbursed tuition.
Was downsized out when we were bought by European company

Next two employers reimbursed tuition for grades of B or better.

Last employer did not reimburse for my last 2 classes.

What was the degree in? MSCE
What was your undergraduate degree in? BSCE
What was your current position within the company? Retired
What company funded it? See above

How did you go about getting the company to fund the degree? Previously established policies.
How closely related to your work was it) Directly

How much were they willing to pay for tuition, books, etc.? Tuition only; I never asked about books.
Why did you want to obtain the degree? To become more computer literate.

How long did it take you to earn the degree? 6 years, 1 class per semester
Was getting the degree worth it? Yes!

gjc

 

[squeeky]

I completed a diploma in electrical engineering heavy current. I resign to go to university then had a financial situation where I had to beg to keep my job. The company said if I was adiment that I wanted to study, I was to do a course I had never done before at a higher level. I was sent on a day release when the classes were run. It was digital electronics, level 2. This meant I had to do the two years together and still pass. This I did.

The company then gave me block release to go to the classes. They paid the tutition and My wife and I bought the books. When the breaks came, I had to go back to work. I qualified after two years as my previous subjects from City and Guilds covered some subjects.

I had to work back time after passing. I then studied to pass the South African Government Certificate of Competancy which means I was now an engineer.

Was it worth it? Oh yes. With the support of my wife and help of God, I made it. We were also a home for up to 12 kids.

I was made an electrical engineer but left after my time was up. Once an appi , always the appi.

My present company supports a wide variety of methods to get qualified in. From certificate courses through to degrees. The are EIT and AIT programs. Engineer in training and Admin in training. These positions have appointed mentors. I am always training someone. At the moment I have 3 SETA appointed trainees who are paid a small amount by the electrical training board and they shadow me and complete tasks of ever increasing complexity. With six months practical, they can receive their diplomas. If extremely lucky, they may get into the in-service trainee program, where they will receive a 12 month contract.

If they get noticed they can move to the EIT program. There is a bonded agreement if they sign up. What happens is that they get near the end of their training and they get head hunted. The new company then pays thousands to buy their contract. If they stick it out they will be excellent Engineers.

 

[sbozy25]

I obtained an MBA in international business.

Undergraduate degree(s) were in mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Currently I'm a lead development engineer managing an R&D team on medical devices (but at a different company than the one that paid for most of my MBA).

At my last company I was told that I was ready for management, however I needed a secondary degree first. So I asked our HR department what the process was and after reading all the paperwork, signed up. They agreed to pay all the costs associated with my degree, based on the grade I received in the class. They would cover tuition, books, and any other costs associated. The only stipulations were that it had to benefit my career with the company and that I had to stay a minimum of 1 year upon completion.

At the time we were working very hard on expanding to China and India, so the international business side was very practical for me.

I wanted to obtain the degree to take the next step in my career and to also prove to myself I could accomplish a feat as hard as that.

I worked exclusively online with a very reputable program and finished my degree in 2.5 years. I would do all my school work after work and on the weekends, and it basically consumed my life for the 2.5 years.

I think the degree was worth it, however I ended up losing that job and was hired elsewhere. The nice thing was, the new company recognized how close I was to finishing, urged me to finish, and gave me a position in the same range as if I had already finished. In the end, it is one of my proudest accomplishments... However, now my former company is trying to sue me for the 2 years they paid for, even though they let me go, and in the severance paperwork I was told the debt was forgiven.... Oh well... That will get sorted out soon....

I highly encourage you to take aim and challenge yourself.


Definition of irony: A Ford Focus driver with ADD...