Affording tuition is the biggest and most obvious roadblock students face when considering making a move into a health care career. It can get down to a choice of giving up on a stable income or remaining in a profession you do not particularly enjoy. If you are looking into getting a health care degree while working a full time job, there might be an opportunity for you to benefit financially and educationally through an employer tuition assistance program.

More and more businesses are encouraging their employees to further their education by providing tuition assistance programs. These programs are meant to be utilized by employees so that they can grow their professional skills.

Be aware that there may be some conditions tied to this benefit. The IRS, for one, has specific restrictions for the funds that you receive through an employer tuition assistance program. Your employer may set some guidelines as well, which might include:

• Being a regular, full-time employee.
• Courses or programs must be relevant to the employee’s current position.
• Courses must be obtained by an accredited college, university or professional organization.
• Pass/fail courses are not qualified.
• Provide grade reports to the company.

If you are just getting started in the workforce, take time to research a potential employer’s benefits and policies for educational assistance. It may be worth it to invest your skills into a company that wants to invest in your educational and career development. Like choosing the right school for your goals, you should look into the right company to help develop your health care career.