Continuing Education stipend ideas

[impasta]

Hi guys,

My employer offers a $2,000 continuing education stipend per year, and I'm trying to get some ideas on what I could spend it on.

The requirements are: 

• must be relevant/related to my current or possible future position at the company - I'm a software engineer (individual contributor, not really interested in management) at a tech company
  
• must be something that results in a certification, degree, certificate of completion - really anything that says I successfully did the thing
  
• no conferences
  

I already have an MS in Software Development (although I'm not opposed to getting another degree) and just about all the Coursera certs related to my job. I also have a company-paid Udemy account. Aside from maybe an AWS cert (although I'm not a huge fan of proctored exams - I'm in a rural area and my internet connection sometimes gets wonky on video calls), do you guys have any ideas for me? 


Thank you in advance

Do you *like* education? Personally, in your position I would be looking at the OMSCS from Georgia Tech with an eye to a PhD in the future. They changed the composition of OMSCS recently to allow research credits, with specific labs taking OMSCS students for research internships, and a thesis option to replace some of the course credits.

A masters with a significant research component like that opens up PhDs from overseas too (which generally do not involve tuition fees).

But that stuff all matters to me because progressive education is something I am interested in. If you aren't, there isn't much point and the money could probably be better spent on industry certifications.

I guess it would just be helpful to know your more long term career goals?

Thanks so much for your suggestions! I don't have any specific long-term career goals aside from progressing in rank in my current position. I'm already working my dream job I would be open to eventually teaching undergrad college in my field, but I can already do that with my existing Masters degree.

I also wouldn't necessarily need another Masters degree just to be able to pursue a PhD or Doctorate in Europe. I have looked into this before since I have dual citizenship and would be paying little to no tuition fees, so that may be an option, but I'm not sure that I want to commit to a PhD or Doctorate at this time. Great suggestion though. 

And yes, industry certifications are definitely an option. I just feel like it would be a waste to not take advantage of this generous education stipend.