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

In our latest Tuesdays for Teachers webinar, we shared tips for helping students of all ages in GED classes.

During “Bridging the Generational Divide in the GED Classroom” our professional development team presented strategies to boost instruction for students from different generations and diverse learning styles.

The webinar highlights techniques to maximize learning based on each student’s unique style:

• Learn the difference between pedagogy and andragogy.
• Explore how your students’ classroom experiences stack up in the learning pyramid.
• Help each student discover his or her learning style, how they absorb knowledge best and their unique approaches to problem-solving.
• Customize your instruction so that visual learners, kinesthetic learners and auditory learners can get the most out of each lesson

The webinar also dives into differences and synergies among generations of adult learners:

• The “Greatest Generation,” also known as the “GI Generation,” was marked by World War I and the Roaring Twenties.
• “Traditionalists,” also known as the “Silent Generation,” lived through the Great Depression and World War II.
• “Baby Boomers” or “Boomers” saw the first landing on the moon and went through the Civil Rights movement.
• “Generation X,” often dubbed “Baby Busters” saw the Berlin Wall come down and the Challenger explosion.
• “Generation Y,” more commonly referred to as “Millennials,” went through the onset of the social media revolution and grim events such as 9/11 and a series of school shootings.
• “Generation Z,” or “iGen” grew up with technology and are sensitive to the effects of global conflict, including terrorism weighing on home territory.

Another interesting point covered in the webinar is how people remember information, wherein the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve is explained. Did you know that the human brain remembers only 40% of knowledge acquired within just a few days of learning it? That’s why it’s so important to review information and practice skills in order to reinforce knowledge.

Resources to increase classroom engagement, including slides and printable worksheets, are also available for download. Catch up on the webinar recording today.

There’s still time to register at the discounted rate for the biggest GED event of the year!

This summer, the GED Annual Conference will come to life in Atlanta, GA from July 27th to 29th.

Here’s just some of what you can expect at this year’s event:

• Workshops with the experts,
• Innovative teaching and testing techniques,
• Networking with peers,
• Student awards and more.

Take advantage of discounted pricing through March 31st for registration at $445. On April 1st, the rate goes up to $495. Your ticket includes two breakfasts, one lunch, an evening welcome reception as well as attendance for all conference events.

Register today and check out highlights from previous sold out events.

Congratulations! On Friday, January 10th the Minnesota Department of Corrections-Faribault recognized 125 graduates at its 109th graduation celebration.

The graduates were recognized for earning GED credentials and completing vocational training programs. The additional programs included Heavy Equipment Operation, Carpentry, Cabinetmaking, Introduction to Computers, Drywall, Microsoft Office Specialist programs and more.

In January, GED Testing Service attended the State Office of Career, Technical & Adult Education Conference held in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

The conference theme educate, lead, and succeed in adult education brought instructors from the Islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix districts. GED State Relationship Manager Adora Beard led GED program training sessions focused on instructional strategies and diverse platforms of resources across GED content areas to help educators prepare students for success on the GED test.