Sprint employees are required to maintain a C average for an undergraduate degree and a B average in a graduate program to qualify for an allowance the following year. In addition, Sprint will bond their employees once their education is complete. Employees who leave early are asked to reimburse their tuition cost on a pro rated basis. The earlier the employee leaves, the more they pay. The idea behind bonding is to prevent employees from upgrading their credentials at the company's expense, then flying out the door to take a better offer somewhere else.
Most firms feel tuition assistance is a good investment.
A survey done last year by the Human Resources Management Association of Johnson County found that 51 percent of responding companies said they offer tuition assistance. But, with institutions of higher learning increasing their tuition an average of 11 to 14 percent a year, some companies are beginning to balk at the cost involved. Ivery's firm concentrates on showing companies various ways to reduce their total tuition bill. Correspondence, distance learning and Internet courses can be cheaper and more flexible alternatives to classroom education. Many of these new methods are accredited.