IBM helping employees move into classrooms

After more than three decades at IBM, Larry Leise and Susan Luerich could be planning a leisurely retirement. Instead, the married couple are headed back to college, with plans to start new careers in retirement as high school science teachers.

"Seeing the proverbial light bulb come on (in a student), there is no better feeling," said Luerich, 54. "It’s a way to give back."

And their bosses at IBM Corp. are only too happy to help.

Luerich and Leise, 58, are among the first batch of IBM employees taking the company up on its offer to pay for the college classes needed to leave Big Blue behind for a math or science classroom, where a shortage of qualified teachers concerns a company that thrives on high-tech innovation.

By Natalie Gott, The Associated Press

Full Story: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-04-05-big-blue-classrooms_x.htm