It’s that time of year again – going back-to-school! For many of the 1.2 million high school dropouts in the United States each year*, they may be wishing they were. Fortunately, qualified employees of SEEK Careers and Staffing are now able to go back to school to receive their GED, cost-free! SEEK’s myGED program, launched in January of this year, enables its employees to attend GED preparatory classes on-site at local technical colleges and covers the cost of books, tuition, and testing. For those who cannot attend classes or testing in-person, SEEK also offers the option to attend classes and/or testing online. Currently, SEEK Careers and Staffing partners with Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) to help applicants achieve their dreams.

Because cost, time, and travel are usually the major barriers to obtaining a GED, SEEK initiated the myGED program to eliminate these barriers. The average cost to take the GED exam is $120. This fee alone prevents many people from pursuing their dream of earning a GED. By eliminating this initial cost, SEEK is helping provide GED students with the long-term financial and employment benefits associated with obtaining their GEDs. For example, an employee with a GED has the same earning potential as a high school graduate, which amounts to an increase in his or her weekly pay by $115 per week.** The annual salary difference between a high school graduate/GED holder and a high school drop-out is $9,400.** Earning a GED opens up doors to employment opportunities that might not otherwise be available. The unemployment rate for those with a GED is almost 4% lower than the rate for high-school dropouts.** In addition, those with a GED are more likely to continue their education and go on to college, thus opening more doors of opportunity.

SEEK is proud to partner with MATC and NWTC, both of whom offer a variety of class schedules to accommodate the needs of students. MATC is the only school in the state of Wisconsin to offer the opportunity to earn a high school diploma to those who are missing only a few credits. They offer online GED training and testing for those who cannot attend classes and/or exams or for those who live outside the Milwaukee area. NWTC has the highest pass rate for GED testing out of all technical colleges in Wisconsin. They also have a new program, GED Bridge to College and Career, which is part of a national research study. Qualified applicants who are selected for this program will meet with a program specialist to help guide them with college preparations, career opportunities, and community resources.

SEEK welcomes the opportunity to work with other colleges in this regard to help its employees obtain a GED. We are committed to bettering the lives of our employees and the communities in which we serve.

To learn more about SEEK’s GED program, please click here:

*GED Testing Service

**Bureau of Labor and Statistics