How to Get Training Costs Covered: Template Included

According to a report published by Training magazine and The Industry Report, companies across the United States spent nearly 102 billion dollars on employee training in 2023.

However, not everyone knows that they have a budget or that they can ask their company to pay for training. In this article, we explain how to find out if your employer offers reimbursement and provide an outline for how to structure your request.

Does Your Company Have A Training Budget?

The first step is to figure out if your company has a training budget. Begin by checking your employee handbook and any other paperwork or documentation that discusses employee benefits. Individual training budgets are often considered to be part of compensation packages, so review any offer letters or contracts you may have signed at the start of your employment.?

If you can’t find anything in your records, start asking around! If coworkers have attended conferences or professional training, ask them about the company policy for reimbursement. Also, ask your manager if it is something that the company would consider.?

Once you have learned that your company does provide training funds or offers reimbursement, it’s time to identify what you want to learn and make the ask!

How To Ask For A Training Budget

Important caveat: The following is general advice and should not override your company’s policies and procedures for requesting training and reimbursement! You should always go through the specified channels and do not assume it will be approved.

When making the ask, a general request for funding is not going to cut it. You need to prepare a specific request including the courses or training you wish to take, when they will happen, the cost, and how the training will benefit the company.?

Once you’ve identified the training you’d like to take and gathered some basic information, the first step is to talk to your manager about it. Without their sign off, it is unlikely that your request will be approved. At that meeting, you should discuss why you want to take the training, what you will learn, and how it will benefit your department or team.?

After the meeting, you should follow up with a formal proposal. This is usually a letter or email that provides all the information about the proposed training and why you want to take it. This letter is often sent beyond your direct manager to the finance or human resources teams, so make sure you are professional and clearly outline the benefits. Below, we will share an outline of what the proposal should contain.

If you haven’t identified a specific course or training that you want to take, talk to your manager or a mentor about it! A good manager will want to see you improve your skills and advance your career and can help you identify learning opportunities that will help you grow in your current job role.?

Job Training Request Outline

Here’s an outline that you can use to create your own request for training. Remember as always that your own company’s policies and procedures must override what is written below.

1. Introduction

This is a formal request, start off with a polite greeting and then clearly state the purpose of your request. If you are sending this as an email, make sure that the subject line relates the purpose of the email. Something like “Employee Name - Training Request” would work well.

2. Explanation of Training

Next, you need to provide details for the course or class you’d like to attend. Include essential information like the:?

• Name of the Training Program
• Provider/Organization: Who is offering the training and what is their reputation?
• Format: Online, in-person
• Time: Duration and dates of the training. Does it require you to miss any work?

You should also provide a brief description of the course content. Provide links to external resources like webpages, curriculum, and reviews. Providing relevant information makes it easier for the decision maker to approve the training request.

3. Benefits to the Company

This area is often overlooked. You want to clearly explain how the skills or knowledge that you gain from the training will be beneficial to your company or team. Explain how the skills you will learn will help you with specific tasks or projects. The company will be unlikely to approve the training if it does not contribute to improving productivity, efficiency, or skills. If you can point to any cost-savings or revenue impacts that the training will deliver, be sure to include that information as well.?

4. Benefits to Your Professional Development

Many companies like to see employees take initiative and work to improve themselves and progress in their careers. You should clearly state how the training aligns with your career goals and professional aspirations.

5. Cost Breakdown

Of course, you need to mention how much the training will cost. Be sure to include:

• Tuition/Fees: Total cost of the training program.
• Additional Expenses: Books, materials, travel (if applicable).
• Total Budget: Sum of all costs.

6. Conclusion

Finally, recap the main points of your request. Politely ask for approval and offer to meet if necessary. Be humble and express gratitude to the company for considering your training request. It is not a given that they will approve your request, but by following the process outlined above, you will increase your chances of success.

What If My Training Request Is Rejected?

One reason it is so important to align with your manager before submitting your request is to reduce the chance that it will be rejected. If your manager agrees that the training will help your department succeed, they can advocate for budget approval. On the other hand, if they do not agree that the training will be valuable, the request is unlikely to be approved.?

Assuming your manager supports your request, and you still are rejected, the next step is to find out why. Has the budget for the quarter or year run out? Did another team use the budget for a separate initiative? Are the department goals and projects shifting? Depending on what you learn, you can use this information to reformat and/or resubmit your request at another time.

Another option is to pursue alternative funding sources. There are many organizations out there that want to help cybersecurity students succeed and offer scholarships to support their growth. Some of these groups like Cyberjutsu, The Diana Initiative, and SANS, have scholarship programs for women and minority groups. It may take some work to find one that you meet the criteria for, but it is possible.

Finally, you can negotiate a quarterly or annual training budget during compensation reviews or job interviews. Good organizations recognize that ongoing learning and training is important for employee retention and job satisfaction. In some fields like cybersecurity, continuous learning is essential to keep employees up to date with the latest threats, technologies, and vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

When requesting training from your employer, it’s important to be professional and clearly state how the proposed training will benefit your company and department goals. If you are still struggling with how to format your request, check out this template we created for our upcoming Live Web App Penetration Testing Training. You can make a copy and adjust it to meet your company’s requirements.?