Compensation guru Ann Bares of Altura Consulting Group, who writes an excellent blog called Compensation Force, points to this article from CFO magazine, which discusses a new program in the works at IBM for employee-funded, company-matched learning accounts.

IBM's proposed "learning accounts" would allow U.S.-based employees with five years of service to contribute up to $1,000 a year, with IBM matching 50 cents on the dollar. The program doesn't begin until next July, which will give IBM time to pursue another wrinkle: getting the government to pony up a tax break by making contributions exempt from income taxes, a la 401(k) plans. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill) has already proposed such legislation and IBM is bringing its lobbying powers to bear.

IBM will continue to spend $600 million a year on tuition reimbursement, but says this new option is needed so that "our employees get an expanded skill-set to be effective in a global economy," says Stanley Litow, vice president of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs. "People need training for the jobs that may exist in the future."