Sean, I can only relate my experience and thought process, and then you can use whatever seems to be of benefit.
I was in my mid-40's when I decided that I wanted a Masters--I made that choice for me, not my employer. I also chose an arena that would allow me to build on experience, but not limit my horizon, so I chose Organizational Communication. I definitely did NOT want a Masters in Technical Communication (which in no way is a comment on the many who do choose that program), I love training and marcom too much, so this degree program seemed a perfect fit. I knew that corporate culture at my employer at the time embraced personal and professional development--reimbursement based on improving skills in the current job or one that I wanted to move into (a key phrase in the guidelines). So I was able to combine my interest in the program with the company's stated mission to develop management and leadership skills ... and two years later I received an MA in OCOM. In between the parent company closed down the division I worked for, and I headed into the contractor life. Did I plan for that? Absolutely not. Am I glad I did it? Completely. It really was one of those "know your audience" situations. It was also a win-win. I knew they'd never buy into tech comm as a higher level career path, but the program I went for didn't limit it, so it worked extraordinarily well. I'd paid for it on my own (and did for my last term). Connie P. Giordano The Right Words Communications & Information Design (704) 957-8450 (cell) www.therightwords.com "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney > -------Original Message------- > From: Brierley, Sean <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [TCP] graduate education not a benefit > Sent: 12 Jun '07 15:28 > > Fair enough. > > Why hire PhDs and MA/MSes then, if a BA gets it done? > > Or, is hiring PhDs and MA/MSes fresh, with no experience in the > company, better than growing an employee from a BA to an MA/MS/PhD? > > Would graduate coursework in education, language, networks, computing, > management, help an employee be a better asset to a company and grow > within the company? Or, is it better to hire those who have this stuff > coming in? > > I am looking for thoughts from the group. > > Cheers, > > Sean > > ________________________________ > > From: Sue Heim [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 4:13 PM > To: Brierley, Sean > Cc: TCP@techcommpros.com > Subject: Re: [TCP] graduate education not a benefit > > > What would a graduate degree provide to your employer, in tangible > benefits? Besides personal development, I mean. > > I can kinda understand where they are coming from. A graduate degree is > way different than a BA or BS. What type of advantage would having the > advanced degree give you in order to do your job better? Are there > positions in your department where having a graduate degree would be a > requirement, thereby allowing for promotional opps? Wouldn't specialized > training and/or classes/conferences provide better benefit to your > employer? > > Just playin' devil's advocate here! :) > ...sue > > > > On 6/12/07, Brierley, Sean <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > > We just did our self-evaluations for our employer. > > At the department meeting today, the boss said getting a masters > degree > was not an objective that supported company goals and was not a > good > objective for our self reviews. > > Yours truly mentioned pursuing a masters degree in his self > review. > > Last year, I put on there getting more familiar with our product > line > and becoming an SME in some areas, and I'm doing that. But I do > that > anyway. Slots in company training courses on our product were > given to > folks other than me this year, because I already have a good > base and > the other folks are newer. So, company training is not something > I have > ready access to. And, I learn our product anyway. And, moreover, > I want > new things in my self review, not the same ones every year. > > Additionally, my employer pays folks with an MA more than folks > with a > BA, and folks with a PhD significantly more, for the same level > of work. > And, allegedly, my employer does have tuition reimbursement, > though I > can find no examples of it. > > So, when I heard the statement from my boss about doing graduate > coursework was not an objective that supported company goals, I > was a > little put off. > > Thoughts? > > Sean > > > DISCLAIMER: > Important Notice > ************************************************* > This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, > privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an > intended recipient of this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it > by any means. Please delete it and any attachments and notify the sender > that you have received it in error. Unintended recipients are prohibited > from taking action on the basis of information in this e-mail.E-mail > messages may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be > accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted > or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender or the intended > recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks associated with > e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to communicate with > IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under circumstances > permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept e-mail > messages to and from its systems. > > ______________________________________________ > > Author Help files and create printed documentation with > Doc-To-Help. > New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help > technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. > > > Interactive 3D Documentation > Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. > www.i3deverywhere.com > _______________________________________________ > > Technical Communication Professionals > > Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: > http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com > Subscribe (email): send a blank message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com > > > > > > DISCLAIMER: > Important Notice ************************************************* > This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, privileged or > otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an intended recipient of > this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it by any means. Please delete > it and any attachments and notify the sender that you have received it in > error. Unintended recipients are prohibited from taking action on the basis > of information in this e-mail.E-mail messages may contain computer viruses or > other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be > intercepted, deleted or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender > or the intended recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks > associated with e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to > communicate with IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under > circumstances permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept > e-mail messages to and from its systems. > ______________________________________________ > > Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. > New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help > technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. > > > Interactive 3D Documentation > Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com > _______________________________________________ > > Technical Communication Professionals > > Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: > http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com > Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com > ______________________________________________ Author Help files and create printed documentation with Doc-To-Help. New release adds Team Authoring Support, enhanced Web-based help technology and PDF output. Learn more at www.doctohelp.com/tcp. Interactive 3D Documentation Parts catalogs, animated instructions, and more. www.i3deverywhere.com _______________________________________________ Technical Communication Professionals Post a message to the list: email [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, unsubscribe, archives, account options, list info: http://techcommpros.com/mailman/listinfo/tcp_techcommpros.com Subscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe (email): send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Need help? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Get the TCP whole experience! http://www.techcommpros.com
