Advisors and employees at Legg Mason can study Swahili if they want and still get reimbursed for some of the cost of the classes.
Legg Mason, an investment management firm based in Baltimore, is offering reimbursement for some of the cost to an employee who undertakes education in any subject.
Many firms offer reimbursement for educational costs for its employees, but it is usually only available to employees studying financially related subjects at four-year colleges or universities.
Legg Mason calls its program SEED, skills, education, enrichment and development. It pays $300 for employees studying any subject matter they want at any type of learning facility.
“We are emphasizing a culture of learning and a personal growth mindset,” said Patty Latin, Legg Mason’s chief human resources officer. “We have done a lot of research on how the nature of work is changing and how the nature of learning is changing. People are learning new skills in new ways.
“New generations of employees, who are more diverse than ever, are augmenting traditional classroom education with boot camps, nano-degrees, micro-masters, open-source learning and other options,” Legg Mason said.
“We think millennials will like this but it is open to people in any stage of their careers,” Lattin added. “We keep an eye on other industries and we are increasingly hiring from outside our industry, especially for technology and analytical skills.”
Legg Mason employees in the U.S., are eligible for reimbursement up to $8,000 for courses related to their work, and similar programs are available in the U.K., Europe, Hong Kong, Australia and other places where Legg Mason has staff.