Training, job experience, and continuing support of your career development are three very significant benefits that you receive as a NASA employee. NASA  management is fully committed to insuring that you are given the opportunity to receive the training and career development assistance that is needed to accomplish the responsibilities of your job.  The Training and Development website is an excellent resource outlining the many opportunities available.  Listed below are a few highlights.  

On-Site Courses

NASA sponsors many courses on-site.  You can explore training opportunities and programs in the following areas: 

• Benefits & Financial Planning
• Business Management
• Communication
• Computer/Information Technology
• Foreign Language/Culture
• ISO 9000
• Leadership and Supervisory
• Professional Effectiveness
• Project Management/Program Control
• Safety
• Science & Engineering
• Secretarial

Career Development Guide

The Career Development Guide describes career development at NASA. Within the guide you will find:

• an overview of the career development process
• a description of the roles and responsibilities of your supervisor, you, and the organization in the career development process
• a look at alternative career directions
• career paths for technical, administrative, secretarial, and technician careers 
• job enrichment activities

Academic Training

Besides on-site courses and local and national conferences, many employees attend local colleges and universities to enhance their skills and abilities. While the course work is taken during off-duty time, NASA offers tuition support for courses that are applicable to your assigned position and career track. Support includes tuition and other related fees, excluding textbooks and supplies.

We also offer two special programs for which applicants are competitively selected:

NASA Fellowship

The NASA Fellowship program provides participants the opportunity to attend graduate courses on a full-time basis for 1 year. The program is designed to allow employees to use duty time to pursue course work that supports the NASA mission and goals. Participants are selected annually based upon several criteria including record of contributions, management recommendations, and applicability of chosen field of study.
For more information see the NASA Fellowship website.

Project IQ

Another special program, Project Increased Qualifications (IQ) allows participants to use up to 8 hours of duty time per week to attend undergraduate classes and provides reimbursement of tuition and textbooks for approved courses. This 2-year program is designed for employees, GS-11 and below, who have not completed their bachelor's degree.

Retirement Seminars

Retirement seminars are usually conducted four or more times a year for interested employees. Contact your Training Coordinator or the Human Resources Office for further information.

A permanent and tax free benefit -- training and career development…

Since you seldom have out-of-pocket costs for your NASA-sponsored training, you receive these benefits tax-free. Job related training courses that cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars are made available to you at no charge.

Best of all -- the training and experience that you receive at NASA is yours to keep -- even if you choose another employer or relocate.