President’s Corner: Connecting GED Students to Employers

Education is a change agent that has the power to uplift students, families and entire communities.

As members of the adult education and GED community we have the privilege of seeing firsthand how impactful the GED journey is for so many.

We know signing up for GED classes, taking the test and earning a credential is often the first step in what is a life-changing decision to attend a local college or university or begin a career path that has the potential to break the cycle of poverty. GED students are resilient, hard-working individuals that are more than capable of filling the growing number of employment opportunities that remain vacant in a variety of fields. The GED test program was designed to help adult learners gain knowledge about specific test subject areas. When this is aligned with adult education or career readiness training, it is a stepping stone to developing the additional interpersonal skills needed to be successful on the job. 

At GED Testing Service we are committed to connecting GED students and graduates to upskilling opportunities and employability through the GED credential. It is our commitment to do this through the GEDWorks program, our employer partnerships, adult education programs and the surrounding workforce development community. 

We started the GEDWorks program in 2015 as a pilot with three major employers and it has since grown to help over 4,000 graduates earn a GED credential at no cost. Through GEDWorks we have been able to create a deeper connection to upskilling opportunities for employees, family members and even healthcare members affiliated with over 40 companies. 

Early on we recognized that working adults in need of a second chance at a GED credential would require additional support throughout the preparation and testing journey. By supporting these workers and providing them with no-cost study materials, free tests and a personal advisor we are equipping them with the tools they need to succeed when faced with demanding work schedules, family commitments and so much more. GEDWorks graduates are often promoted within their companies and begin pursuing associate degrees or additional career training. 

Our efforts to support adult learners are also aligned with local workforce development and career readiness initiatives. We work closely with workforce development boards and local adult education programs to identify career training programs that would bridge our students to careers that would provide more than a living wage and create the financial stability they need to change their lives for the better.

There are community colleges, correctional facilities and local adult education programs that are actively providing vocational training and industry certification instruction for students completing GED preparation and testing. It is through these opportunities that adult learners are able to navigate some of the challenges and uncertainties they experience including reentering society and the workforce, finding the career of their dreams or finding employment that will help them support their family. 

Throughout 2020 GED Testing Service will continue to develop partnerships that will give our students and graduates the skills and connections they need to succeed in the workplace.

—Vicki Greene, President of GED Testing Service