How do you get the boss to pay for training? In my experience you have to:

• Ask. The boss isn’t sitting around thinking of ways to make your life better
• Align. Ask for training that is relevant, or show how it is relevant if not obvious
• Persist. Even if you do a nice clean ask, it’s not a top priority. Follow up without being annoying!

It’s doesn’t need to be complicated. A short email, a link to the class or a an attachment with the details. Something as simple as this might net you some nice company paid training! 

<<Boss>>,

I’m planning to attend SQLSaturday Orlando on September 27th, it’s a free all day training event for SQL Server professionals. On Thursday September 25th they are also offering an all day class on Enterprise Monitoring for SQL Server that is being taught by David Pless, a Senior Field Engineer for Microsoft. It looks very good and I think I’d benefit from attending. The registration fee is $120 and that includes lunch. Would it be possible for the company to pay for the training?

Thanks,

<<you>>

I know that works out to AAP. I’ll work on a better mnemonic!