This month we’re highlighting our new International Marketing Manager, Pimchanok (Tara) Sutthisiriwattana.

Tara joined the GED Testing Service team in February 2020 and is a 2010 GED graduate.

What will you be doing as the GED International Marketing Manager?

I am based in Bangkok, Thailand. I will be working with the US-based Marketing team, helping manage our efforts internationally, with emphasis on the Asia region and South Africa. In addition to working with prep partners in Thailand, I will also work with our partners in Bangladesh, Pakistan and South Africa. As the International Marketing Manager, I will develop and launch marketing campaigns and assist with running our social media accounts as we continue to grow the visibility of the International GED test program.

Could you tell us more about your personal background and your experience as a GED graduate.

I’m an ESL (English as a Second Language) learner from Thailand. My GED journey started in 2010 after deciding I wanted to enter university early. I was looking for international diploma accreditation and the GED was a great fit for me. I was in a prep course for six to seven hours a week and did self-study every day. It took me around three months to pass the GED test.

After passing the test, I attended the University of Newcastle, Australia to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. I have since been working as a marketing professional for six years handling various domestic and international projects in the government, science and beverage industries.

What is something you’ve learned since joining GED Testing Service that you didn’t know as a GED graduate?

The exam has changed since I took it (I tested prior to the release of the 2014 version)—it has also been great to see how students feel about the GED credential. I see that there are so many different reasons for getting a GED. No matter where you live you are able to write your own story.

What was your biggest motivation during your GED journey?

My parents were my biggest support system.

It felt super amazing to accomplish this step in life and it was very meaningful for me to see my parents proud of my success.The GED was a strong foundation and gave me many opportunities to explore the world.

What do you enjoy doing in your down time outside of work?

I like baking—croissants are my favorite thing to make. I also enjoy wakeboarding and I am a trained barista.

We continue to work on improving and simplifying the student journey for taking and passing the GED.

A big step in preparing to take the GED involves the GED Ready practice test. The practice test measures how likely a student is to pass the GED and identifies skills to focus on and study. We are currently working on improving various areas of the GED Ready score report to make it more useful for students.

Over the next few months, we will be developing new features and conducting A/B tests with students to decide which features to adopt. Below are some of the updates that we’ll be testing:

Linking the study tool via pop-up

Linking a study tool in the Score Report helps to further guide students so they know exactly which pages or sections to study based on the skills they need to focus on. A number of our students don’t link their current study tool and are missing out on valuable study guidance.

Some of our students shared with us that they aren’t linking their tool in the Score Report because they don’t always know the name of their book or online resource, but if they saw a picture of the cover it would help them to find and link it more easily.

We believe if we provide them with a visual upfront, this will make it easier for students to link their study material. During our A/B test, we will track whether or not more students are linking a study tool and will roll out the new feature to everyone if successful.

Congratulations!! Hancock State Prison recently hosted a ceremony where 24 students from the Georgia Department of Corrections were recognized for earning their High School Equivalency Diplomas.

We’re excited to welcome renowned author and NYU professor Daniel Lerner as the keynote speaker at the GEDTS Annual Conference being held July 27-29 in Atlanta!

His course, The Science of Happiness, fills classrooms in seconds. He combines research and experience to help individuals fuel their work and life with passion. Celebrated for his work as a positive psychologist, he will share breakthrough insights about how to achieve happiness and success at this year’s conference.

For over a decade, Dan has been researching and applying positive psychology and how it impacts performance for students, athletes, executives and teams. He brings out the best in individuals by helping them strike a balance between stress and anxiety, surface their strengths and uniquely shape long-term success.

Daniel Lerner’s bio is available here and you can still register for our annual conference and take advantage of the early bird rate through April 1st.

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.

Welcome 2020!

Last year was full of change, opportunity, and reflection. Now, we’re excited to start this new year motivated by our continued mission to support adult learners as they write the next chapters in their lives.

We recognize the important role the GED credential has in improving the trajectory of the lives of GED graduates, their families and the larger community. It is our mission to provide a pathway to success that in turn embraces the uniqueness of each of our students, representing a wide range of different groups, identities, backgrounds and ideologies.

At GED Testing Service we are dedicated to finding and creating solutions for adult learners in an effort to ensure that a high school equivalency diploma is accessible and valuable. As I enter my first year as President and my eighth year with the company, I have spent time thinking about what we’ve done well, how far the GED credential has come, and the work we still have to do.

As the leader of this unique organization, I have challenged myself and others to think about how we can impact more lives. This brings many questions to mind: How do we reach students that we have not had access to? What can we do differently? What is stopping us from helping every adult learner that needs their GED credential?

I ask these questions recognizing that we work closely with adult educators, community organizations, researchers, policymakers and students, to identify the barriers that prevent students from becoming GED graduates. The answers to these questions are the many opportunities that each of us has in 2020.

We will continue to be a student-first organization where we value and prioritize the needs of our students and support the educators that prepare them for the test, higher education, and life. Our research and studies will remain focused on what we can do to provide insightful resources, products and training to give students and educators the tools needed for success.

We are a growing community of GED graduates, students, educators, family members, friends, colleagues and much more. We each have our own story and our own “why.” Our story tells who we are and it is essentially what connects each of us despite our differences. It doesn’t matter where we come from, or what our past says about each of us—our experienced adversity and diversity should be celebrated and embraced.

As we move forward in this new year, I encourage us all to use our past experiences, challenges, and triumphs to motivate us as we support others and help make the world a better place.

—Vicki Greene, President of GED Testing Service

Each year we put together professional development workshops and webinars to help educators prepare students for the GED test subjects.

The adult education community is a huge part of the success of the GED test program and we are excited to kick off a new year with a full lineup of classroom strategies, teaching tips and resources to help your students gain the confidence and skills they need to succeed.

One of our professional development focus areas this year will be instructional transitions:

• ABE to GED level instruction

In program year 2018, approximately 1.4 million adults enrolled in programs across the country: approximately 17% ASE, 43% ABE and 45% English Language Learners. These percentages have held steady over the years. Students who possess Adult Secondary Education (ASE) skills are in the minority. A much larger percentage of students function at the upper levels of Adult Basic Education, i.e., Pre-GED.

During 2020, a significant focus for professional development will be on helping teachers identify ways they can move students more effectively and efficiently from adult basic education to a GED level and on to passing the GED test.

• From Passing to College and Career Readiness

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title II funds are tied to program performance. Over the years, a greater emphasis has been placed on students earning high school credentials, entering postsecondary education/training, and attaining employment.

During 2020, professional development will be provided in areas within Mathematical Reasoning and Reasoning through Language Arts that will enable students to earn higher scores on these tests. Providing teachers with higher level content will enable them to help students earn the scores necessary to avoid remedial classes and focus instead on credit earning courses.

Professional development offered in 2020 will also focus on the evolution of the GED classroom:

• Engaging students in the learning process

Approximately 30% of all adult education students range in age from 16-24. An additional 50% fall into the 25-44 range. These two groups represent three different generations: GenZ, Millennials, and GenX. The remaining 20% of students fall into the Baby Boomer generation. Each generation has its own preferences for taking in and processing information. Each generation has unique needs in how they prefer to work within a classroom.

During 2020, more emphasis will be placed on how to adapt specific instructional strategies to meet the learning preferences of students from different generations.

• Bringing in new resources

Tuesdays for Teachers’ attendees often request information on resources (English and Spanish) to use in the classroom.

Throughout the coming year, more attention will be devoted to showing teachers how to connect to and use resources found on GED.com, as well as other resources such as GED Live, GED Flash and other study and preparation tools. In addition, each webinar will include a segment on instructional resources that are free or low cost that focus on the content covered during the webinar.

Last but certainly not least, we will be on the road presenting professional development at national conferences including the COABE 2020 Conference and the 2020 GED Annual Conference.

This year’s GED conference will be held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis from July 27th to 29th. Our conference will offer opportunities to access the latest professional development, resources and program enhancements GED Testing Service has to offer. Registration is now open with discounted rates.

Thank you for all your support and we’ll see you on the road or online!

The GEDWorks program recently celebrated over 4,000 graduates earning their credential since the start of the program in 2015.

What started as a pilot program with four employers has grown to include over 40 employers across the country helping their workers earn a GED credential at no cost.

We recently had two new employers join the GEDWorks family—Ashby Ponds and UCare began offering the benefit in 2019. Ashby Ponds, a continuing care retirement community located in Ashburn, Virginia, is offering the GEDWorks benefit to employees. UCare, an independent, nonprofit health plan providing health coverage in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, is offering the GEDWorks benefit to members in 15 select counties.

GEDWorks students are 81% more likely to earn their diplomas than students who are pursuing a GED credential on their own. Participants are given access to a personal advisor, online GED study materials, practice tests, connections to local adult education programs and free GED tests.

Our current GEDWorks partners represent various industries including food service, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, media and transportation. Some of these employers include: Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Sheetz, Texas Department of Transportation, Benchmark Electronics, UGN, Solid Comfort, Total Wine & More, Bell’s Brewery and Southeastern Grocers (BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harvey’s and Winn-Dixie).

A complete list of GEDWorks employers and graduate success stories can be found at GEDWorks.com.