Dr Ronald Beach

These are people like Ron Beach.In 2002, Beach, a 51-year-old Vietnam veteran, earned his master's of science in organization and management from Capella University, headquartered in Minnesota.His online courses were partially subsidized, to the tune of $5,400, by Hitachi, where he worked as a manufacturing manager at the company's Phoenix facility.

By taking student loans and studying nights and weekends, he got the business degree in 26 months.He recently got a better job as director of manufacturing at LSI Logic Inc., a computer chip and memory storage device maker in Wichita, Kansas, a position that required a graduate degree.Another reason why he made the leap, Beach says, is that LSI's tuition-assistance program is generously capped at $10,000 per year.He is now earning a Ph.D. from Capella.

Internal training and development is viewed as a strategic imperative, while tuition reimbursement is considered a miscellaneous employee benefit.

Ronald Beach , who was recently hired as director of manufacturing for LSI Logic , a supplier of communications chips in Milpitas , Calif. , says no one questioned his master's degree in organizational management from Capella University when he interviewed for the job.It was actually to my benefit , because one of the things I will be in charge of is training , he explains.It didn't hurt that the director of operations , who hired Beach , happened to be taking online classes at the time.

Beach's experience may not be typical.The Vault.com study listed anonymous comments from hiring managers , and they tended to be less than flattering.I still view this as close to the equivalent of earning a GED through a Sally Struthers correspondence course , wrote one.

The findings didn't surprise Bear.Ideally , he says , companies should look at what each candidate did to earn his or her degree.