Washington, DC, Nov. 02, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today GED Testing Service announced that more than 2,000 students have now earned their GED credential through participation in the GEDWorks program. This employer-sponsored program helps students complete requirements for their high school equivalency credential at no cost to the student. GEDWorks has a rapidly expanding group of employers currently including KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Walmart, Royal Cup, Scholastic, Sheetz and Southeastern Grocers—parent company of BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harvey’s and Winn-Dixie.
“Leading companies increasingly recognize that investing in people is the way to attract talent and expand their employees’ future economic opportunities. Organizations that invest in closing the education gap see improved retention, long-term cost savings, and a stronger pipeline of workers prepared for advancement,” said Randy Trask, president of GED Testing Service. “We’re extremely proud that GEDWorks is helping employers stand out and helping learners increase their earning potential.”
Courtney Lundin, the first GEDWorks graduate from Southeastern Grocers, is an example of how the program can help students achieve more. Lundin earned her diploma approximately one month after enrolling and she is now completing her associate degree in Business Administration at Coastal Alabama Community College.
“I am most appreciative of being able to be in the program because it let me see that I could do more than I thought I could. I didn’t think I was capable of getting my GED as quickly as I did. It was a real eye-opener for me, it made all the difference for going to college. It gave me a big boost of confidence,” said Lundin.
Lundin is just one of thousands of adult learners who have benefitted from the GEDWorks program since its initial pilot in mid-2015. There are more than an additional 2,100 students actively pursuing their GED credentials in the GEDWorks program.
Employees who sign up for the GEDWorks program through their employer are given access to a personal advisor, online and print GED study materials, practice tests and GED tests. Personal advisors are a key component to the GEDWorks program. Advisors act as coaches that motivate and guide students through the path towards earning their GED credential. The program is designed to be flexible with students’ busy work schedules, is provided at no cost to the student, and supports a bilingual experience for Spanish-speaking students.
The GEDWorks program includes a Test Pass Guarantee, ensuring that students receive unlimited access to all resources and unlimited GED tests until they successfully earn their GED credential. Students participating in the GEDWorks program are also given access to online tools that assist with college and career planning.
In the recent whitepaper, “Advancing Your Frontline Workforce with Employer-Sponsored Education Benefits,” GED Testing Service used GEDWorks as a case study to identify key factors that help drive worker success when participating in an employer-sponsored program to earn a high-school-level credential. Participating employers found that the program had a positive impact on recruitment and retention, and helped develop a stronger internal talent pipeline. More of the findings from the whitepaper are available here.
Additional information about the GEDWorks program and a list of participating employers is available at this site, and additional GEDWorks graduate success stories can be viewed here.
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9753e807-e262-4d12-b2ce-c26f2879f58c