If you’ve ever wondered whether earning your GED is worth it, here’s your answer: yes—especially if you’re eyeing a career in the skilled trades.  

Right now, the demand for electricians, plumbers, and carpenters is surging as data centers and AI infrastructure projects expand across the country. These roles are not only essential—they’re increasingly well paid, offer long-term career stability, and don’t require a college degree.  

A unique success story took place in Thorn Hill, Kentucky when three generations of women achieved their GED® credentials at the same time! Their radiant smiles and bright pink graduation gowns are easy to spot in the graduation photo: Loretta Pennington, Crystal Brophy and Alexus Breau.

Earning a high school diploma is a crucial step on the path to academic and career-related success in life. But if you left high school without getting a diploma, it’s not too late.

You may be wondering: Can you be successful with a GED? Yes! In most cases, getting a GED will give you equal footing with those who earned a high school diploma, opening countless doors to further your education and career.

In fact, a host of famous people who started later in life earned their GED. Check out our list to learn more about these wildly successful celebrities.

1. Jay-Z
2. Jim Carrey
3. Chris Rock
4. Elton John
5. ​​Nicholas Cage
6. D.L. Hughley
7. Christina Applegate
8. Catherine Zeta-Jones
9. Robert De Niro
10. Arnold Schwarzenegger
11. Drew Barrymore – In Progress

At GEDWorks™, we are proud to partner with organizations and companies nationwide to help people of all ages achieve their GED. From major companies to small employers, health plans, and non-profit organizations, we are changing lives together, one credential at a time. Get to know GEDWorks grads and their stories below.

KFC

Meet our next GED graduate highlight, Jennifer. In high school, Jennifer was bullied to the point that she stopped going to class. Unfortunately, this led to her being expelled due to poor attendance. By getting her GED, Jennifer could prove to herself, her children and her mom that she could do better in life.

Meet Myles our next GED student highlight. Growing up in Chicago, Myles had to switch schools more than once. Having to make new friends all over again and go through the process of joining new classes was stressful. His behavior changed and he had trouble concentrating; teachers began to assume he had ADHD. Myles didn’t want to transfer to another school, so he ended up leaving high school.

Meet our next GED student highlight, Lillian. Growing up in Chicago amidst gang violence, Lillian found herself having to repeat her first year of high school twice. After that, she just couldn’t pull through anymore and decided to drop out.

Meet Reggie our next GED student highlight. Leaving high school at age 15 was a tough decision, but Reggie understood that it just wasn’t the right learning environment for him. Crowded classes and endless distractions didn’t mix well with his learning style. He tried hard to fit into the group setting, but knowledge wouldn’t stick unless he studied on his own.

One day, his coach made a life-changing suggestion for Reggie to try the GED® program. He’s a Special Olympics athlete; basketball and track are his favorite sports. He could finally focus on studying and obtain his high school diploma without the distractions and stress of the classroom environment.

Meet Kinzie our first GED student highlight. Kinzie overcame many obstacles on her journey to becoming a GED graduate. When she was 12 years old, she lived in Las Vegas, Nevada with her mother and younger sister. Life took a turn when her mother became an alcoholic.

Throughout this time, Kinzie had to take on the responsibility of caring for her younger sister. She began to take on the role of a parent–ensuring that her sister went to school and completed her homework everyday. Kinzie gave up her childhood so that her sister would never have to give up hers.