GED Education in the Workplace
By Michael Ormsby
As the demand for educated workers grows, employers find themselves in a
dilemma. 39 million American adults never earned a high school diploma,
limiting the pool of qualified workers. One innovative solution is a GED
training program in the workplace, and employers find that it provides
significant rewards.
Around 30 million American adults rank “Below Basic” in prose literacy,
the lowest literacy ranking, according to the U.S. Department of
Education’s National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) (reference). In quantitative literacy, that number is
46 million. These are startling figures, and it’s a difficult reality for
employers. Today’s working world demands complex literacies... in problem
solving, decision making, using data, and understanding information. NAAL
reports note that Americans with lower literacies are less likely to be
employed and likely to earn less money.
To develop a qualified workforce, more and more employers are turning to
workplace education, and often that means a GED program in the workplace.
The GED measures essential literacy skills, the fundamental skills that
employers need: reading skills, writing skills, math skills, and thinking
skills. Funds are often limited, though, and employers struggle to find
effective programs with minimal costs. Educational software and online
learning programs are often the key, providing interactive educational
training for the GED in the workplace at a minimal cost, without the need
for onsite teachers. The goal is to get learners involved, to activate
their minds. The best programs use storytelling, humor, and interactive
exercises to involve learners. Effective GED study programs are easy to
implement and simple for workers to use, even those who aren’t
comfortable with computers.
For a small investment, the training provided by a GED preparation
program both creates a more qualified workforce and provides a valued
incentive for new hires. The American Council on Education states that
employers who provide GED programs “get a more educated, more committed
workforce, and can recruit motivated, career-minded candidates. These
organizations see the increased retention and improved productivity of
employees who have received their GED credentials through
company-sponsored programs”.
Employees who receive GED training from their companies appear to support
this claim. The United Auto Workers/Daimler-Chrysler Huntsville Family
Training Center is an example. The educational facility was put in place
to develop employee self-esteem as well as skills. Janitor Lorine Horton
credits the company’s program with giving her the skills to get her GED.
“I have no plans to leave,” she says. “This company helped me
succeed”.
About the Author: Michael Ormsby is the president of The GED Academy and oversees software and curriculum for adult learners and people with educational challenges. For more information, visit www.passGED.com. Michael can be contacted by email at: information@passged.com or by telephone at 800-460-8150.
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GED Education in the Workplace
by Michael Ormsby
is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.passged.com.
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