How to Get Your Company to Invest in Your Growth
Most engineers know what would help them level up—an online course, a professional certification, or a conference pass. What they don't know is how to ask for it in a way that actually gets approved.
Too often, the request feels like a personal favor: "I'd really love to go to this." But companies don't fund enthusiasm. They fund outcomes. And most managers are dealing with limited budgets, tight timelines, and unclear approval processes. If you want a yes, you have to do more than want it.
Every company handles training and development differently. However, to gain buy-in for your training, you need to frame the request in terms of its business value, timing, and impact.
This week, we'll break down the key areas to focus on—so you can stop guessing what to say and start making a stronger case for your professional development.
Start with the Business Value
If your request opens with "I've always wanted to attend…" you've already missed the opportunity. That's a personal goal, not a business case. And your manager's job is to prioritize business outcomes.
The strongest way to start the conversation is to tie the opportunity directly to something your team is already doing:
- "This covers techniques we need for the architecture revamp next quarter."
- "This aligns with the performance goals we discussed in my last review."
- "This topic came up in our last retro as something we need to improve."
That kind of framing tells your manager you have thought about the impact this can have on the team.
If you want to take it further, connect the training to the broader business goals, such as efficiency, velocity, security, and cost savings. For example:
"One of the sessions walks through how Stripe reduced cloud spend by 30%. If I can bring even one of those tactics back, we could offset the cost of this conference in a month."
Don't oversell. Just show you've thought beyond your own growth.
And if you want to double the impact? Create a plan to share what you've learned through a quick debrief, an internal document, or a lunch and learn. It signals that the investment won't stop with you.
Make the Ask Easy to Say Yes To
Most requests fail because they create work for your manager. They don't know the cost. They don't know if there's a conflict. They don't see how it connects to company priorities. So they default to "not now."
Your job is to remove the friction.
Come prepared with the basics:
- Event name, dates, and location
- A short list of relevant sessions or topics
- Total cost (registration, travel, etc.)
- Any discounts or lower-cost options (virtual pass, early bird rate)
- A one-liner on how it benefits the team
This doesn't need to be a big proposal. A few bullet points in an email or one-pager show that you've done the work. It's also easy for your manager to forward up the chain if they need approval from finance or leadership. These kinds of small, thoughtful prep steps build credibility. How to Win in the Margins breaks that down in more detail.
Here's the litmus test: if your manager had to pitch this on your behalf, could they do it in 30 seconds or less?
If not, your ask isn't ready yet.
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Understand the Constraints Before You Hit Send
Even the best pitch can fall flat if you ignore how decisions actually get made in your organization.
Some teams have a formal approval process in place. Others just need a manager's nod. Some departments set aside training budgets. Others expect you to plan ahead during annual reviews. If you're unsure how it works, ask around. Someone on your team has probably done this before.
Timing matters too. If you're asking for $2,000 mid-quarter with no heads-up, the answer might be "no" simply because there's no room left in the budget. But if you bring it up during goal-setting or performance review season, it feels more strategic—because it is.
And if cost is a concern, come with options. Perhaps you could cover the travel expenses and ask the company to sponsor the ticket. Maybe you will attend virtually this year and go in person next time. Small compromises show you're flexible and focused on getting the biggest value.
The key here is simple: don't just make the case—make it work within the system you're part of.
Show the ROI
If your company invests in you, make sure they see the value.
After the training or conference, follow through. Share a write-up with key takeaways. Link out to any frameworks, slides, or tools worth looking into. Offer a short demo or walk-through if something you learned applies directly to your team's work.
Even a quick Slack post like:
"That CI/CD workshop covered a few low-effort reliability improvements. I'll write up a summary with examples we could test next sprint." goes a long way.
The goal is to make the value clear so your manager doesn't have to guess whether it was worth it.
And when the next opportunity comes around, you won't just be someone asking again. You'll be the person who followed through, brought something back, and made everyone better for it.
You don't need a perfect pitch. But you do need more than a wishlist.
When you ask your company to invest in your growth, make it easy for them to say yes. Show how it helps the team. Do the homework. Respect the constraints. Follow through.
Every company handles this differently, but the core message is the same:
If you can demonstrate how your development creates leverage for the team, it stops being a personal request and starts looking like a smart use of resources.