What to use tuition reimbursement for?

[sanantone]

I decided a couple of years ago that I do not want to be a professor because the research expectations for tenure require you to do a lot of boring, meaningless work just to get published. While my current job with the state pays decently and has good benefits, it's repetitive and also boring. I look at what the supervisors do, and their jobs are just as boring, so I have no desire to move up in my department.

If I study something that will be useful to the state, I will receive up to $5,000 per year in tuition reimbursement and educational leave. I'm trying to decide if I should go to a part-time police academy that will cost about $3,000 and take eight months to complete or go to nursing school which will take longer and cost more. There are several different state agencies I could work for as an investigator, but it looks like most of the nursing jobs are at state hospitals (mentally ill) or state-supported living centers (intellectually challenged).

Another option would be for me not to use my tuition reimbursement or opportunities for educational leave at all and just earn certifications to go with my BSBA in CIS. But, I don't really have a passion for IT. I don't need reimbursement for my PhD program because I'm only required to take one credit per semester now.

[eriehiker]

I have a former student who works as both a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines and as a nurse for whatever hospital is near her current home base.

She was in Anchorage for a while and now she is in Portland. It seems like a very nice life.

[Thorne]

What about looking for an MPA, MPP, or MBA?

[cookderosa]

I decided a couple of years ago that I do not want to be a professor because the research expectations for tenure require you to do a lot of boring, meaningless work just to get published. While my current job with the state pays decently and has good benefits, it's repetitive and also boring. I look at what the supervisors do, and their jobs are just as boring, so I have no desire to move up in my department.

If I study something that will be useful to the state, I will receive up to $5,000 per year in tuition reimbursement and educational leave. I'm trying to decide if I should go to a part-time police academy that will cost about $3,000 and take eight months to complete or go to nursing school which will take longer and cost more. There are several different state agencies I could work for as an investigator, but it looks like most of the nursing jobs are at state hospitals (mentally ill) or state-supported living centers (intellectually challenged).

Another option would be for me not to use my tuition reimbursement or opportunities for educational leave at all and just earn certifications to go with my BSBA in CIS. But, I don't really have a passion for IT. I don't need reimbursement for my PhD program because I'm only required to take one credit per semester now.

I think you should choose whatever is the most interesting to you! Chase your dreams.

[davewill]

I assume that just because they pay for your nursing degree doesn't mean you then have to take a job at a state hospital? That would open up a lot of choices. Pick the path that will bring YOU the most joy. This doesn't seem to be a time to compromise.

[icampy]

Go to an academy and then do some street stuff for some years and go for a detective position.

[sanantone]

What about looking for an MPA, MPP, or MBA?

I don't think I'll have much use for those. Plus, I don't have the energy to complete another graduate program with a lot of writing. I thought about getting a master's in counseling or marriage and family therapy, but I would have to do a 60 credit hour program plus 3,000 hours of interning for licensure. I could become a psychiatric nurse practitioner is less time and make more. Five thousand dollars per year in tuition reimbursement isn't much, but all three of those licenses qualify for Texas' new tuition reimbursement program for mental health professionals (this is for everyone, not just state employees). I would get $40,000 to $60,000 in reimbursement on top of my tuition reimbursement as a state employee. 

However, I think I would prefer being a family nurse practitioner rather than a psychiatric nurse practitioner, which would mean I would only get $5,000 per year as a state employee and wouldn't qualify for the mental health professional tuition reimbursement program.

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I assume that just because they pay for your nursing degree doesn't mean you then have to take a job at a state hospital? That would open up a lot of choices. Pick the path that will bring YOU the most joy. This doesn't seem to be a time to compromise.

This is where the problem lies. For every semester or term I receive tuition reimbursement, I will have to work that same amount of time after classes end. The same applies to educational leave. If they give me a few hours off everyday to attend classes for a year, I will owe them another year of employment. Otherwise, I would have to pay back the tuition and salary I didn't earn on a prorated basis. So, if I get educational leave and tuition reimbursement to go through a 2-year nursing program, I am stuck with the state for another two years. I still have to clarify whether I would have to stay with my same agency or if I could take a position with another state agency. Regardless, most of the nursing jobs with the state are in the Health and Human Services Department at the state hospitals and state supported living centers. I've seen what they have to deal with.

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I just checked. I would need to stay with my agency to meet the work obligation. My specific agency has zero nursing jobs, and the only law enforcement jobs they have require a couple of years of experience as a criminal investigator. My agency has no entry-level law enforcement jobs. This sucks. A job with any state agency should count.

[Ideas]

How about the fire alarm or basic alarm training that you considered before?

Maybe some kind of volunteer or very part time experience that could help you network, to increase your chances of getting the job you want?

[sanantone]

How about the fire alarm or basic alarm training that you considered before?

Maybe some kind of volunteer or very part time experience that could help you network, to increase your chances of getting the job you want?

I considered that training when I was still in a low-paying job because I was already in the security field. I think I also only had the BA and worthless AAS at the time. 

I'm currently volunteering with the Civil Air Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. I also applied with the Texas State Guard and Texas Task Force 1. These organizations will give me some emergency management experience, and I'm also training to volunteer in personnel, safety, and IT. I can't do any healthcare stuff without a license. Hopefully, I can eventually get access to Air Force training through the Civil Air Patrol, but Air University got everything all jumbled up with its website redesign.

[Ideas]

I considered that training when I was still in a low-paying job because I was already in the security field. I think I also only had the BA and worthless AAS at the time. 

I'm currently volunteering with the Civil Air Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. I also applied with the Texas State Guard and Texas Task Force 1. These organizations will give me some emergency management experience, and I'm also training to volunteer in personnel, safety, and IT. I can't do any healthcare stuff without a license. Hopefully, I can eventually get access to Air Force training through the Civil Air Patrol, but Air University got everything all jumbled up with its website redesign.

Oh, you've done a lot with a few years  Wow, those volunteer experiences too... you're going to reach the goals one way or another!