Does your employer offer a professional development stipend? You may be able to use these funds for aptitude testing.
What is a professional development stipend?
Professional development stipends, also called learning or education stipends, are fixed funds that an employer might offer as part of their benefits package to attract and retain talent. These broad stipends can be used for classes, conferences, books, and other services or tools that might advance employees’ careers or help them develop as professionals.
Professional development stipends are different from tuition reimbursement programs which typically reimburse employees for the cost of classes only.
Stipends are often use-it-or-lose-it. If your employer offers a yearly professional development stipend, and you don’t make use of the funds, you might miss out on the benefit that year.
Could aptitude testing qualify as professional development?
Many professional development stipends can be used for coaching or career counseling services. While the Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation doesn’t offer traditional career counseling, our testing does provide self-exploration, career guidance, and data for career planning. We’ve had many clients use their stipend funds to cover the test fee.
What do I need to do to use my stipend for aptitude testing?
The first thing you should do is check with your employer to see what the rules or policies are surrounding your stipend. Requirements vary by company, but you may need to provide information for pre-approval before going through our service. At the bottom of this post, you’ll see some documents that you can submit to your employer.
How can I explain the value of aptitude testing to my employer?
Learning about your aptitudes can help you build confidence, set professional goals, and find more satisfaction in your work. While you’ll be the primary beneficiary of the self-knowledge you gain from our service, your company can also benefit from your experience.
Employee disengagement is expensive. In their “State of the Global Workplace 2024 Report” Gallup estimates that employee disengagement costs the global economy $8.9 trillion. It can also lead to high turnover, decreased productivity, and low morale. Understanding your aptitudes can help you and your employer think about the types of projects and opportunities that are the most likely to keep you engaged and create a vision for how you might grow with the organization. That’s a win for you and your employer. In fact, companies that invest in their employees’ development increase retention by 58%.
The University of Chicago’s professional education program has additional advice for talking to your employer about professional development. We’ve also put together our own customizable template you can use to raise the topic with your manager.
What documents can I provide to my employer?
Required documentation can vary from company to company. We’ve had clients request everything from proof of test completion to itineraries and syllabi. Below are some downloadable documents that you can provide to your employer to further strengthen your case for aptitude testing.
- If your employer requires an itinerary or syllabus, try submitting this document which explains the testing day and includes other details like what aptitudes we measure, cost, and client outcomes.
- If your employer requires proof of testing completion or outcomes, see if they’ll accept a certificate of completion which you can create when you receive your digital badge, which is included in your test fee. You’ll see a sample of that certificate below, along with a sample report which you can also provide.
Our reference book and brochure also have more details about our service.
Will you share my test results with my employer?
No. Our aptitude testing service is confidential, and we never share test results without the written permission of the person they belong to.
Additionally, our service should not be used for personnel decisions. Its purpose is to help individuals learn more about themselves so they can craft a rewarding career that makes the best use of their natural talents.
Aptitude testing is a unique experience that provides insights into how your mind likes to work and offers benefits that last throughout your career. Feel free to reach out to any of our 15 testing locations for more information or to get started.