| It's more possible these days to juggle full-time work | | | | toward one could potentially demonstrate motivation |
| with college studies, thanks to online programs that | | | | and drive, enhance job security and lead to a |
| are said to be increasingly gaining acceptance among | | | | promotion. |
| employers. And employees who work for companies | | | | Yet, few who have access to this benefit take |
| that offer tuition assistance might consider applying | | | | advantage of it, according to the human resources |
| the benefit toward online college pursuits. | | | | study. And the Wall Street Journal in an April article |
| Online degree programs allow students to pretty | | | | entitled, "Some Job Benefits You May Never Get |
| much set their own schedules, participating in studies | | | | Back", reported that the number of companies |
| between family and work responsibilities and from | | | | offering tuition assistance is declining across the |
| wherever they have a computer with an Internet | | | | board and particularly at the graduate level. |
| connection. Participating in distance college studies can | | | | Still, other companies such as Google, are reportedly |
| reportedly also enhance technology skills that are | | | | beginning to require continued education as a means |
| growing more important in this information age. | | | | of keeping employees up-to-date. The popular search |
| Online college enrollment has reportedly been rising | | | | engine company is one of several that are spending |
| substantially, the number and variety of degree | | | | $95,000 to send employees with master's degrees to |
| programs are growing fast, and employers these | | | | an executive doctorate in business program in |
| days more greatly appreciate online degrees. The | | | | Georgia that can help students solve complex |
| results of a Society for Human Resources | | | | business problems, an April report in the Atlanta |
| Management study released in 2009 cited that | | | | Journal-Constitution noted. |
| employers view online degrees from accredited | | | | Continued education might also be a smart move in a |
| institutions more favorably than they did five years | | | | tight and competitive job market. With increased |
| prior. And the majority of these employers reported | | | | government incentives to continue education, many |
| that they extend the same tuition reimbursement for | | | | of the unemployed are reportedly investing the time |
| online college classes as they do classes at bricks and | | | | in online college pursuits. In some instances, these |
| mortar institutions. | | | | students are working toward career shifts to areas |
| The opportunity for training has been becoming one | | | | such as health care, where opportunities exist to fill a |
| of the most desirable benefits a job can offer, | | | | need. Online degrees in the STEM (science, |
| according to information cited in a "32 Trends | | | | technology, engineering and math) subjects also offer |
| Affecting Distance Learning" report. Earning an online | | | | a chance to enter fields such as nanotechnology and |
| degree is likely to help boost an individual's | | | | the environment, where industries are said to have a |
| marketability and future earnings, and working | | | | demand for qualified employees. |