How should your company sponsor programming certification

Question

Say your company is willing to sponsor the fees for taking programming certification examination. What is the best aproach to implement this?

I would say if the programmer passes the exam at the first try, it shoud be fully sponsored.

If the programmer doesn't pass the first try, the 2nd exam should be 50% sponsored. If failed 3rd time, the programmer should pay in full (including for the first 2 exams).

I find that it is difficult to balance between voluntary taking up the exam (for confident programmers) and mandatory / policy set by the management.

Anyone like to share your experience / suggestion on this?

Answer 1

Sponsor the first time regardless, that includes the necessary training.

Failure or success of the exam is of secondary importance comapred to the training, many companies often require staff to be regularly trained too, so its not much of a cost in the first place.

Taking the exam is also up to the staff member, let them take it if they want, but don't worry if they don't.

Answer 2

For optional certification: At our company, you must receive a pass to get any sort of compensation. Anything below, and you get nada. If you fail the first two times and pass the 3rd time, you still pay for the first two times...but the company will pay for the third.

For required certification: Company pays no matter what.

Answer 3

Fully sponsor training and test fees for the first attempt of the test and give a small bonus (~ cost of test fees) upon successfully passing a test or attaining a certification.

That way if the person doesn't pass on the first attempt, there's still an incentive to pass, even when they're putting up their own money.