August 6 is the new deadline for applying online for HR scholarships provided by WorldatWork, a non-profit HR association.
The one-year scholarships for obtaining certified designations are open to any HR professional from anywhere in the world. He or she does not need to be a current WorldatWork member, and there is no fee to apply.
After the deadline, WorldatWork scholarship offerings will convert from a rolling system to a calendar system. Under the calendar system, applications will be accepted again from January 1 through to March 31, 2014.
Scholars will be announced in mid-May 2014 in time for Total Rewards Professionals Week, which is celebrated during the annual WorldatWork Total Rewards Conference & Exhibition.
Since the WorldatWork scholarship program was introduced in January 2010, 80 HR professionals from around the world have received a one-year scholarship package to acquire designations as certified compensation professionals, certified benefits professionals, global remuneration professionals or work/life certified professionals.
These scholarships are awarded based on both financial need and merit. Of the 80 recipients, 66% have successfully achieved certification; the rest are in the process of doing so.
“We know that certification speaks volumes when advancing in a dynamic career,” says Bonnie Kabin, vice-president of professional development with WorldatWork.
Eighty-three percent of employers look for certification when recruiting HR professionals, according to WorldatWork data. Today, there are more than 24,000 certifications granted to professionals certified through the WorldatWork Society of Certified Professionals.
To apply, visit worldatwork.org/scholarship.