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Situation: You want to turn your jobless stretch into a huge gain.
I'm always skeptical about training 'scholarships'. So when the folks at ESI brought their program to my attention, I was thinking "here we go again...". After closer examination however, I think this program is pretty cool - and very generous.
Here are the basics of the program:
ESI International is offering a $500,000 scholarship program for out-of-work technical professionals. Scholarship funds will cover the majority of U.S. course fees for approved candidates, who may choose up to three courses from ESI’s project management or business analysis curriculum.- Courses can be completed at any ESI U.S. public classroom, or via any ESI online learning platform. Courses can be applied toward an associate’s certificate or master’s certificate issued through ESI and partner The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. GW will award advanced standing toward its Master of Science in Project Management to those who earn a GW/ESI project management master’s certificate and meet other requirements.
- In addition to the scholarship, ESI has created a career information and source page for technical professionals at www.esi-intl.com/scholarship. The page includes a range of job-hunting resources and the opportunity to have ESI’s vice president of talent management answer visitors’ questions.
- ESI’s Stand Out Scholarship will run through Dec. 31, or until funds have been exhausted. The program is limited to currently unemployed individuals who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents who show acceptable proof of unemployment.
“Despite the current economy, project management as a profession is expected to grow substantially in the next few years with an increasing demand worldwide in such project-intensive industries as manufacturing, pharmaceutical, construction and IT,” said John Elsey, President & CEO, ESI. “This program will allow professionals to keep up their skills in the industry to take advantage of these leading economic opportunities.”
There are a few questions we thought you would want answers to right away. John was kind enough to answer them below...
Q. Are the candidates selected based on any criteria other than being unemployed? Or is it first come first served for people who are jobless? (if there are additional criteria, what’s the best way to get selected?)
John: We wanted to help as many people as possible with ESI’s $500,000 Stand Out Scholarship; keeping the qualification and application process easy was vital in achieving that objective. So as long as someone is unemployed, can show proof of unemployment, and is a US citizen or permanent resident, they are qualified for the scholarship. Awards are issued on a first come, first served basis when the completed application and backup documentation (found at www.esi-intl.com/scholarship <http://www.esi-intl.com/scholarship> ) is emailed to [email protected] or faxed to (703) 558-2261. The only other consideration is that there is space available in the class they’ve selected; if a class is full we’ll work with them to try to find an alternative.
Q. What are the most popular classes in the project management curriculum? In the business analysis curriculum?
John: We offer more than 30 courses in our Project Management and Business Analysis. curricula, from entry level to advanced training. These are all eligible under the ESI SOS program. While our program’s core courses are generally the most popular, the relevancy of the course based on the individual’s experience and skill gap is the most important factor to consider when selecting an appropriate course or program. Many of our courses are offered in the public classroom, e-Training and instructor-led Virtual Classroom formats.
Q. How many more courses beyond the three would someone have to take to get an Associates or Masters through the program?
John: With just three courses total someone can earn an Associate’s Certificate in Project Management from ESI and our academic partner The George Washington University. Since people can apply for and take up to three courses with SOS funds, they have the opportunity to quickly and inexpensively earn an impressive certificate which they can add to their resume. Students can earn a Professional Certificate in Business Analysis with a total of just five classes. Or a Master’s Certificate in Project Management with a total of seven courses. Plus, GW will award advanced standing toward its Master of Science in Project Management to those who earn a GW/ESI project management Master’s Certificate and meet other requirements. Our Course Counselors are available to help students determine the best courses to achieve their learning and career objectives.
Posted on: July 13, 2009 10:34 AM |
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