ManpowerGroup to Offer General Education Diploma (GED) Program in Partnership with Pearson Putting Career Progression within Reach for Thousands of their Associates Across the U.S.

MILWAUKEE, July 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) today announces it will offer the General Education Diploma (GED) Program to over 30,000 Manpower associates at no personal cost*. In partnership with Pearson, the world's learning company and a leading provider of education content and services, Manpower associates will be offered access to best-in-class online GED^® preparation courses, unlimited practice tests, and personal coaching support from application through graduation enabling them to earn their high school equivalency diploma within weeks.

When employers in the U.S. are hiring at levels not seen for decades, many people are unable to benefit when over 70% of jobs require a high school diploma or higher.¹ Providing workers with the opportunity to complete their GED ^® program removes barriers to careers and enables people to access more jobs, move up and earn more. The GED^® tests are a group of four subject assessments which, when passed, provide certification of achievement of high school-level academic skills.

Each person in the program will be matched with an expert coach who can meet virtually at a time and location that fits their schedule. This personalized support combined with online study materials is a proven success - people in Pearson's employer-sponsored GED^® programs are nearly twice as likely to earn their diploma than people who study for the test on their own.  The GED ^® program is an extension of ManpowerGroup's MyPath™ offering, which helps people access jobs in growth sectors and develop in their careers through fast-track learning programs, on-the-job training, certification and experience.

"Employers cannot find skilled workers across all sectors of the U.S. economy from transport and trade to manufacturing and sales and the problem won't fix itself," said Becky Frankiewicz, President of ManpowerGroup North America. "We know the biggest obstacle to learning is time and this program offers our associates the ability to earn while they learn. That's why we're excited about our partnership with Pearson, providing people with access to jobs and education. This addition to our MyPath™ program means we are able to remove a significant barrier for thousands of people while creating the skilled workforce companies need."

"Pearson is proud to partner with a forward-thinking organization like ManpowerGroup to provide upskilling and credentialing opportunities for their associates," said James Reeve, managing director, Pearson Accelerated Pathways. "We know that the future of work will require employers to move beyond the college degree as the signal of employability and, the reality is that a significant percentage of today's workforce need access to relevant, cost-effective education opportunities to make progress in their lives. ManpowerGroup is one company consciously addressing the barriers to education attainment, so individuals can have meaningful job opportunities and brighter futures."

For more information on the ManpowerGroup partnership with Pearson, please visit https://www.manpower.com/wps/portal/ManpowerUSA/career-resources.

*The MyPath GED Program is available at no personal cost to active Manpower associates who meet program eligibility requirements. Additional terms apply, please see: https://www.manpower.com/wps/portal/ManpowerUSA/career-resources 

¹Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2017. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2017/occupations-typically-requiring-high-school-for-entry-lost-1-3-million-jobs-may-2007-16.htm 

About ManpowerGroup 
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN), the leading global workforce solutions company, helps organizations transform in a fast-changing world of work by sourcing, assessing, developing and managing the talent that enables them to win. We develop innovative solutions for hundreds of thousands of organizations every year, providing them with skilled talent while finding meaningful, sustainable employment for millions of people across a wide range of industries and skills. Our expert family of brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and ManpowerGroup® Solutions – creates substantially more value for candidates and clients across 80 countries and territories and has done so for over 70 years. In 2019, ManpowerGroup was named one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies for the seventeenth year and one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the tenth year, confirming our position as the most trusted brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup is powering the future of work: www.manpowergroup.com. 

About Pearson
We are the world's learning company with more than 24,000 employees operating in 70 countries. We combine world-class educational content and assessment, powered by services and technology, to enable more effective teaching and personalized learning at scale. We believe that wherever learning flourishes so do people. For more, visit www.pearson.com.

SOURCE ManpowerGroup