Tuition Assistance Programs (TAP) - 4 Approaches

Most midsized and larger corporations offer tuitionrecruit new talent to the company and employees
assistance to their employees. This means theusing the education assistance may stay with the
company will either reimburse or pre-pay forcompany longer. Research shows greater
college courses taken towards a degree,employee loyalty when employees benefit from
certificate or a group of job-related classes.education reimbursement.
Organizations spend billions of dollars per year on3) Your company's aligns education benefits to
these programs, but many companies do notTalent Management and Career Development.
approach the program as anything but aManagers and executives view education more
necessity or a way to compete for talent.than just an expense but an investment in their
There are 4 major approaches to using Tuitionemployees. Employee loyalty is even stronger
Assistance Programs and one is an unusualwhen education programs are tied to Talent
approach. The major approaches are TAP as: 1)Management.
benefit 2) recruitment and retention tool 3)4) A few companies use education assistance for
benefit aligned with Talent Management or Careertheir employees with skill sets no longer needed in
Development 4) exit strategythe future. Employees are encouraged to go back
1) Your company's education assistance is ato school for a new career in a new field.
benefit to employees. This is the most basicBest practices in Tuition Assistance Programs
approach and the most popular. Your company'scombine support from managers and executives
competitors offer reimbursement for education,and align policy with Talent Management and/or
so your company follows suit.Career Development. TAP becomes a talent
2) Your company's education program helpsstrategy and not just a benefit.