5 Ways to Convince Your Boss to Send You to Autodesk University

Attending industry events requires investment of both time and money, and many times failing to make a strong business case to attend can keep individuals from getting the green light. If you’d like to attend Autodesk University (AU) but haven’t gotten the “ok” from your superior, here are some ideas that should help.

Identify the classes you would take. Visit: http://bit.ly/2eN8nOD and all the Manufacturing and Production classes will populate. Pick the topics that would help you the most in your job. Create a schedule for your time at AU. Lucky for you there are a bunch of workshops and hands-on courses that warrant classroom training as opposed to some of the awesome stuff that’s only available online.
Next to the list of classes, add notes that address the following:
1. What the class covers (in terms that your boss would relate to)
2. Why you need to take that class
3. How it will help you be more proficient, efficient or self-sufficient in your work
Explain how networking with peers and being exposed to others in related fields will help you. This one can be a bit tricky, but professionals learn from other professionals. It’s much easier to grasp a concept when someone in a similar situation is able to explain how they overcame an obstacle, or how they were able to streamline this process or how they leverage the tools you use to get more value than you are today.
Formulate a return on investment (ROI).
Itemize and total the costs of attending. Check with the airlines, check with the hotels, estimate a per diem cost for expenses, and add the cost of registration. Give a realistic estimate for the investment required, and then proceed to justify a return on that investment. How will the investment come back to the organization? Perhaps by attending some of the workshops you will be able to share what you learn with others in your organization, extending the reach of that newly-found knowledge. Or, perhaps you will be able to use a new tool, work faster, work smarter and that will save time down the road when you are pressed up against a deadline. Whatever you incorporate, make sure it answers this question: “In 6 months from now, how will attending AU improve work performance and work quality?”
Invite the boss. That’s right! There is nothing like some facetime with the boss to strengthen your relationship and demonstrate your value to the organization. Highlight some classes that might be of interest to your boss and share the link to the course catalog. If the boss is itching to get out of the office, then this might be a good way for you both to change it up, get some fresh ideas and strategize for 2017.