How to educate yourself and pay nothing?

The world of work is changing so rapidly that a mere one-off university degree is no longer enough to stay relevant or stand out from the workforce. This has lead to people educating themselves throughout their career by taking courses in specific topics that are relevant to their jobs and ambitions.

Continuous learning benefits you because it helps you take charge of your career: You can take on interesting assignments and more responsibility at your current company, as well as stand out from other applicants when applying for new jobs. However, you are not the only one who benefits from your new skills.

Companies are realizing that education is no longer just the responsibility of the individual employee because it’s also an asset for the company. New knowledge leads to improved processes, technologies and products that are creating value for the business. Because of this, professional development has become prominent in the corporate offering. In order to keep up with the competition, the workforce of companies needs to keep educating themselves. According to the Training Industry Report, the average professional training cost per employee comes to $1,041.

You should leverage this trend. Over 70% of our customers get reimbursed by their employers already. When you are looking to enroll in a course or a package with the AIHR Academy, you should also check if your employer offers financial support for you to develop yourself.

Here’s a step by step guide to help you apply for sponsorship in your organization. Download the “Employer Sponsorship” guide. 

Main steps:

1. Preparation
   Check in with HR and ask what the options are for your company to sponsor your studies. Most companies offer reimbursement (you first order the course and your company pays you back) and it’s good to be aware of the rules of this process as well as the goals and budget that your company has set for professional development.
2. Make your case
   Select a course or a package that suits your needs and is in line with HR’s requirements. Think about the skills that you will gain and how you can use them to benefit your company. What kind of course would benefit you and your department and be in line with your company’s learning & development strategy? What concrete tasks and applications would you be able to execute after the course? We are here to help if you are not sure. Get in touch with our Admissions Advisors who are experts in connecting your ambitions to your company’s goals. Once you are ready to approach your manager, download and print the syllabi of these courses and present them together with the benefits and cost of enrolling. Make sure your manager has all the information they need to make a decision.
3. The green light
   Once you’ve convinced your manager and they’ve approved the training, go on the course page and enroll online. Save the invoice and submit it to your HR department for reimbursement. Take the course and enjoy your new skills!

For more detailed information, download the “Employer Sponsorship” Guide.

Got the green light? Great! Check out our course selection and enroll today.