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Businesses Offer Generous Employee Tuition Programs

BEST EMPLOYEE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAMS Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne strives to have the best educated workforce in the world. Fitting in with that goal is a tuition reimbursement program that rewards employees for continuing their education whether it is related with the job duties or not. All employees receive funding for class registration, tuition, academic fees and textbooks. “They are all paid up front, which I think is different from other companies where you go through the program first and after you pass you get reimbursed,” said Debra Bergman, director of educational relations. Additional incentives are given for completing degree programs. For instance, after earning a bachelor’s degree or higher the employee receives $10,000 in common stock or 500 in stock options. After earning an associates degree the employee receives $5,000 in common stock or 250 stock options. Students receive up to half of their classroom time as paid time off for studying, up to three hours a week. “Professional development, personal development, enriching to one’s family situation, and helpful to promotions is what comes to mind from the program,” said David Steinhart, an employee development specialist. Mark R. Madler Northrop Grumman Defense contractor Northrop Grumman looks to its long-term success with the generous tuition reimbursement program offered to employees. Northrop pays for single course and degree and certificate programs that are directly job-related, related to the company’s or operating sector’s present and anticipated business operations; certified by management as directly applicable and necessary for the benefit of the department; contribute to improving the employee’s performance in his or her current job or occupation; and qualify the employee for opportunities within the company. The program is valuable to employees and the company alike, said company spokesman Tom Henson. The employees benefit from the encouragement to pursue higher education goals, and Northrop Grumman is able to help current employees make greater contributions to the success of the company over the long term, Henson said. “The program also helps attract talent from outside the company,” Henson said. “We know candidates compare our policy with the policies of our competitors as they consider their options, so it is a good thing to be able to offer. Relevant fields covered by the program are those that are considered relevant to company business, including engineering, mathematics, computer science, physical sciences, systems engineering, management, finance and business administration, human-resource management, knowledge management, and modeling and simulation. Northrop Grumman has locations in Woodland Hills and Palmdale. Mark R. Madler Sage Publications As a leading publisher of text books and reference material used around the world it is only natural Sage Publications encourages its employees to continue their education. The 41-year-old company’s philosophy is built on tenets that education is valuable and engaged scholarship is at the heart of society. Thousand Oaks-based Sage provides a 100 percent reimbursement for an employee’s initial associate or bachelor’s degree. Up to $5,000 per year is given for a second bachelor’s degree or master’s degree. In addition to that, Sage pays in full for classes that are career related and reimburses up to $500 per calendar year for personal interest classes not connected with earning a degree. “We’ve had this tuition program for many years and have enhanced it over the years,” said Roberta Isaeff, vice president of human resources. The company’s commitment to education even extends to the children of employees. This year Sage began a program to pay up to $500 per semester for new textbooks, Isaeff said. “All of our education programs are widely used and people really do appreciate it,” Isaeff said. To additionally promote continuing education, the company recently sponsored an education fair in which 20 university and colleges attended to tell about their programs. Mark R. Madler

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