At Pearson Accelerated Pathways, we love to celebrate Black History Month by highlighting significant moments of diversity and inclusion throughout history. This February, we’re shining a spotlight on three scientists who deserve special recognition for their contributions to society and positive impact on the way we live today.

Annie Easley (1933-2011)

Annie was an American computer scientist, mathematician and rocket scientist who, among many achievements, helped develop software for the Centaur rocket stage. Born during segregation, Annie grew up during a time when educational opportunities were limited, but with strong encouragement from her mother, she was determined to get a good education. In 1950, Annie was accepted as a Pharmacy major to Xavier University in New Orleans and eventually went on to obtain a bachelor’s in Mathematics from Cleveland State University.

Annie started her career at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as one of four African Americans out of about 2,500 employees. She began her career as a “computer” at the NACA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory, which eventually transformed into NASA. As electronic computers eventually started being used at NASA, her title changed to mathematician and computer technician.

Her fascination with computing grew and Annie decided to acquire additional education and training in mathematics and science. However, even as her role and contributions grew at NASA, she was not compensated at the same rate as her peers. In response, she began outreach for minorities and took it upon herself to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor.

In her 34-year career at NASA, Annie helped develop and implement computer code that analyzed alternative power technologies including solar, wind and energy projects. She also helped to identify energy conversion systems to solve energy problems, including the improvement of battery storage life. Her computer applications have been used to identify energy conversion systems that improved commercially available technologies. And Annie's work with the Centaur project helped lay the technological foundations for future space shuttle launches and launches of communication, military and weather satellites.

Annie was posthumously inducted into the Glenn Research Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2021, a crater on the moon was named after her by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Emmett Chappelle (1925-2019)

Emmett Chappelle was an American scientist who has contributed to medicine, food science and astrochemistry. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Chappelle graduated top of his class at the segregated Phoenix Union Colored High School. Upon graduation, Emmett joined the U.S. Army where he was assigned to the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division. He was able to take engineering classes in the military, and the GI Bill enabled Emmett to earn a Bachelor of Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1950.

Emmett started his career as an instructor at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, where he conducted research that became recognized by the scientific community. As such, he was offered additional educational opportunities and decided to accept an offer to pursue a master’s degree from the University of Washington in Biology.

In 1958, Chappelle joined the Research Institute in Baltimore, where he made a major discovery that has contributed to the knowledge of bacteria and cyanobacteria. He showed how even one-celled plants, such as algae, are photosynthetic and can convert carbon dioxide to sugar and water into oxygen. This discovery helped the science community create a clean and portable oxygen supply for astronauts, while also providing them with a safe food source in space – as algae are capable of reproducing there.

Emmett has been honored as one of the 100 most distinguished African American scientists of the 20th Century as well as received numerous awards including NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal.

Shirley Ann Jackson (1946-present)

Shirley is an American physicist and 18th president of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She was fascinated with science from a young age, studying the circadian rhythm of honeybees from her garden as a child. Shirley continued her thirst for knowledge in grade school and graduated top of her class, earning herself a place at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as one of only a few black students at the time.

Despite experiencing isolation and discrimination from classmates, Shirley was determined to do well in her studies. She went on to form the Black Student Union, which campaigned for the university to recruit more underrepresented students with greater support and financial opportunities, as well as more diversity of the faculty members. She also created a program called ‘Project Interphase’ to academically support incoming underrepresented students. Shirley was determined for MIT to become more diverse and more accessible.

Through her persistence, Shirley also became the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. from MIT. She went on to work as a theoretical physicist at Bell Laboratories as well as chairing the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Her work in the commission included developing regulatory systems for assessing risk at the country’s nuclear power plants. She made this her primary focus after the tragedy of Chernobyl in 1986.

In 1999, Shirley became president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, which is America’s oldest technological research university. She also served as a co-chair on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board under the Obama administration and has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Science and the Thomas Alva Edison Science Award, for her contributions to physics and for the promotion of science.

At Pearson, we celebrate Black History Month with a full event line-up of professional development workshops, discussions and educational opportunities. Our company culture is one of learning and promoting awareness of diversity, culture and behaviors that foster a sense of belonging in learning and workspaces. Want to learn more about important figures from all backgrounds who have positively impacted our lives? Check out our free booklets where you can explore key facts about their contributions and complete fun activities, including discussion starters. Interested in becoming a student in our Accelerated Pathways degree program? Check out what we offer!

Meet Melissa! This millennial mom and her husband have an adorable three-year-old daughter with a second baby on the way. Melissa works full-time in marketing and is currently finishing a bachelor’s degree through Pearson Accelerated Pathways. Whew – that’s a lot! We wanted to chat with this busy student and find out how she manages it all. Check out our interview with her.

What made you want to go back to school?

When I first graduated from high school, I knew I wanted some sort of college education. But like many millennials, I didn’t have the money or desire to spend four years at a traditional college and take on a bunch of student debt. So, I decided to attend a local technical school to develop skills in some of the areas that were really interesting to me, mainly photography and graphic arts.

Fast forward a decade, and I’m almost 30, working full-time and raising a toddler with another baby on the way. It’s kind of crazy that I chose now to add pursing a bachelor’s degree to my plate!

Part of my decision was that I’ve always loved learning. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of progression. My husband also started a master’s degree about a year ago, so I kind of felt inspired to keep up and expand my education. Mostly, I think we’re both inspired to be good role models for our kids. There’s also a sense of security and development in our career paths that we get from gaining more education.

What made you choose Accelerated Pathways?

For me, there were a couple advantages your program. The biggest one was flexibility. With Accelerated Pathways, I have flexibility in so many different ways. I don’t have scheduled class times. I don’t have to drive anywhere. I can even complete assignments on my own schedule.

With a three-year-old, a full-time job and a busy husband, it can be hard for me to know in advance what my study time availability will look like. I needed a program that I could blitz through courses if I had a free week or take a break if my personal schedule was really packed. Plus, I get the added bonus of not having to be on campus, potentially exposed to COVID. That’s extra important to me during my current pregnancy.

Probably the most difficult part of returning to college was getting the courage to start. There were so many options and factors to navigate. The Accelerated Pathways team made this process really easy by doing the college research for me.

How was your experience choosing a degree program?

So smooth and flexible! In my first conversation with my academic counselor, she asked about what I was interested in studying, what long-term goals I had and what prior college credit I had earned. She did a ton of research and found five different colleges that offered degrees similar to what I wanted to study. She also figured out which colleges would take my past college credit and determined the final cost for each option, even factoring in the tuition assistance benefits I get from my job.

All I had to do was send a screenshot of my unofficial associate degree transcript and she handled the rest. After reviewing my options, I picked the college and degree program that allowed me to graduate the fastest. The Accelerated Pathways team was able to transfer all the credit from my associate degree to that program, so I started my bachelor’s degree as a junior. There’s no way I would have been able to figure all that out myself.

We’re so glad to hear! How are your courses going?

Taking courses is super simple and straightforward – I just login to the Degree Manager and pick up where I left off. There are no semesters or due dates, so I really can work at my own pace. I do one course at a time on my schedule. I just finished American History ahead of schedule and will be diving right into Biology next. All courses have been high quality, and I’m learning a lot. It’s a great feeling!

I also meet with my academic coach regularly. He’s given me great tips on what the focus of each course is and how I should balance study time on the various course resources. Best of all – he’s helped to keep me accountable to my goals. I’m actually ahead of my initially planned graduation date since I had some extra time over the holiday break to knock out additional courses.

Any post-graduation plans? What’s next for you?

Having such a great experience returning to college has definitely made me want to be a lifelong learning. Even with my second child on the way, I’m hopeful about completing my degree on time and possibly starting on a master’s degree in the future.

One of my long-term goals has always been to be a librarian. I know “official” librarians usually need a master’s degree in library sciences, so earning my bachelor’s was a first step for me toward this dream.

In the short-term, I’ll have more opportunities and be able to take on even greater roles with better salaries once I return to work from maternity leave. There’s more of a sense of security and value I feel in returning to the workplace with additional knowledge and higher educational credentials.

Any advice you’d give to new Accelerated Pathways’ students?

My motto is: just stay consistent. After I got into the swing of my first course, I realized I could complete a module in a few hours. So, I set aside a couple nights a week to just ignore chores. As soon as my daughter goes to bed, I put on some good study music and do schoolwork for a couple hours.

By staying consistent—even with only a few hours a week—I was able to complete my first six Accelerated Pathways courses, which is 18 college credits, in just six months!

That’s fantastic! Thanks for sharing your experience, Melissa. We can’t wait to see you graduate!

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults have suffered or currently are suffering with symptoms of a mental illness. Mental health affects the way we think, act and feel, including how we handle stress or relate to others.

Some factors that contribute to mental health are difficult to control, such as facing socio-economic hardships, dealing with trauma, alienation or coping with biological factors such as chemical imbalances or medical conditions. However, there are some actions we can take to improve our emotional, psychological and social well-being, like practicing meditation, creating art, exercising and even learning.

How does learning contribute to mental health?

Mental health workers and researchers have found that we can support our mental health by connecting with others, developing a sense of meaning or purpose, building coping skills and having a goal or hobby. One way to engage in all of these activities is through learning and education. Research shows that education can improve mental health by broadening your intellectual, social and emotional horizons. Attending school can also expand your knowledge, help you meet new people, further your goals, improve your career and even help you build better coping mechanisms.

Studies of the relationship between education and mental health have shown that higher levels of education can also help graduates gain important structural and economic advantages. For example, data compiled of workers aged 25+ shows that education leads to higher income, with bachelor’s degree holders earning an average of $26,104 more per year than those with a high school diploma. While money can’t buy happiness, it can alleviate many stressors that contribute to mental health problems and allow you the freedom to pursue your interests.

Education can also improve mental health by providing a sense of accomplishment. Some find that completing assignments and earning a degree gives them a feeling of pride and a boost in morale. According to clinical psychologist Dr. Stephanie Smith, learning new skills can be great for mental health. College can allow you to achieve small successes while exploring your interests—from creative to academic to athletic. In the process, you can also discover the activities you find meaningful and enjoyable. For example, if you always wanted to learn an instrument or understand world history, education can help you do that.

Isn’t going to college with a mental illness more difficult?

It’s true that mental health conditions can affect your ability to study and learn, and traditional college students may face additional stress from first-time experiences with working, being away from family, having unfamiliar interactions or dealing with peer pressure. Luckily, resources are available for those who seek out assistance and treatment. In fact, many colleges offer support groups, counseling and other resources for students struggling with their mental health.

Alternately, some find that choosing a flexible online college program provides them with the accommodation needed to manage their mental health. For example, Pearson Accelerated Pathways offers self-paced online learning that allows students to take mental health breaks whenever needed, along with the ability to study from anywhere – including locations that may offer emotional support or enhance wellness. Attending college online can also alleviate the stressful tasks of separation and individuation from family and friends. In particular, working adults find online college options beneficial as it gives them the flexibility to complete and enjoy their studies even while juggling a busy schedule, raising kids or managing multiple responsibilities.

However, some find taking classes online to be less than ideal, especially in the Covid era when the effects of isolation on society have become more apparent. It’s important to know what matters most to you and your mental health, and then choose a learning path that best supports your wellness. It’s also important to remember that even highly successful people have found themselves struggling to manage mental illness while pursuing an education and other important goals. You are not alone in your struggle, so be sure to check in with others in your support circle, including mental health workers.

Benefits of learning outweigh stressors

Overall, even with the pressures of college, learning is good for our minds and essential to our existence. Most find that gaining an education outweighs the stress of assignments, deadlines and other pressures associated with school. In addition, learning benefits our sense of wellbeing by increasing self-esteem, encouraging interaction, fostering open-mindedness, aiding in discovery and providing a sense of purpose. It helps us view the world from a range of perspectives, which makes us more adaptable to new situations as they arise and contributes to our ability to manage mental health challenges.

At Pearson Accelerated Pathways, we understand that the onset of a mental illness can be debilitating. Seeking help is something we support and value, and our academic counselors and success coaches are always here to help you find flexible ways to advance your educational goals while managing your mental health. We believe learning should give you the opportunity to nourish your mind free from stress and anxiety. That’s why we offer flexible, self-paced, affordable degree programs that can be completed anytime, anywhere.

Ready to start a learning journey that you’ll love? Reach out to our supportive academic counselors!

At Pearson Accelerated Pathways, we believe your college experience should empower you to pursue your goals, advance your career and live your life – not burden you with debt or chain you to a campus.

But how does it work? How do we help you graduate from the college of your choice, but at a lower cost?

Check out these five easy steps!

Step 1 – Academic Advising

Just complete a short assessment, and an academic counselor will reach out to discuss your goals, timetable, learning style, budget and more.

Our counselors are experts at understanding all types of academic options that fit any unique situation, such as prior credits earned, time restrictions, special learning needs and more.

Step 2 – Degree Plan

After learning your unique situation, your academic counselor will use Pearson’s advanced proprietary technology to evaluate thousands of college and degree options. They’ll find five degree options that best fit your goals, budget and schedule.

You’ll get a college options report of these degree options in a side-by-side comparison. You can even request specific schools be included in this comparison.

Your academic counselor will carefully walk you through each degree option so you can consider important factors like time to completion, total cost, prior credit transfer and much more.

Step 3 – Take Courses

Once you make your college and degree selection, you’ll get access to the Degree Manager™. This is your personalized learning portal where you can access your degree plan, register for courses, take courses and track your progress.

With the Degree Manager™, college is simple. You’ll always know exactly what courses to take, when to take them and how much they’ll cost.

In fact, this is how we save you money. Our general education courses are 36% less than the national average. There are no campus fees and no hidden costs. Even the books are included.

Plus, we’re here for you with world-class coaching the whole way!

Step 4 – Transfer

Once you earn the maximum number of general education credits from Pearson, then just transfer to your college to complete your degree.

All credit you earn through Pearson Accelerated Pathways is regionally accredited (unlike many of our competitors) and guaranteed to transfer into your college. We even help you prepare official transcript(s) for your destination college.

Step 5 – Graduate

Simply complete any remaining courses from your destination college until graduation. Typically, this will involve finishing your last 30 credits (or about ten classes) with the college that is granting your degree.

Then… voilà! You’re a debt-free college grad. Congratulations!

Ready to get started?

At Pearson Accelerated Pathways, we love helping students earn their degree at a lower cost. With course options 30-50% less than the national average, we save you hundreds of dollars on every college credit. Our top-notch advising ensures you never take a course you don’t need, plus you get the freedom to pay as you go. Ready to graduate on your terms? Whether you’re earning an associate’s, bachelor’s or higher, we make it easy. Get started today!

Choosing an online college can be tricky. Plenty of institutions offer amazing deals for online courses that seem too good to be true. And some are. When choosing to spend time and money on your education, it’s important to know that you’re making a wise investment.

So, how can you tell? Two words: regional accreditation.

While some schools offer national or special accreditation, regional accreditation is the most stringent and widely recognized. In fact, 85% of colleges and universities recognize regional accreditation. Non-profit schools (like Princeton and Yale) and state schools (like the University of Michigan or Texas A&M) all abide by regional accreditation standards.

This means when you take online courses that are regionally accredited, they’re recognized and accepted across a broad spectrum of educational institutions as quality learning. Therefore, your hard-earned college credit from a regionally accredited school can transfer to almost any college or university of your choice.

What is accreditation?

Accreditation shows the level of consistency in educational quality. To earn accreditation, schools must undergo a stringent review process and meet a set of academic standards involving faculty quality, student learning, professional outcomes and level of data-based research.

There are several types of accreditations:

Regional

Regional accreditation is considered the gold standard for the majority of college degrees. There are six regional accrediting agencies, and each serves a specific geographic region of the United States. They accredit post-secondary institutions and primary and secondary schools. Each of these agencies is primarily concerned with the accreditation of academic, non-profit schools, rather than specialized technical or vocational schools. 

National

National accreditation typically applies to specialized vocational schools, technical schools, religious institutions or for-profit schools such as The Art Institute. This kind of accreditation accounts for less than 6% of all schools. Regionally accredited institutions are reluctant to accept transfer credits from nationally accredited institutions, mainly because they haven’t met the stringent standards of faculty qualifications, library resources and other guidelines.

Special and other

There are other types of accreditations for certain types of degrees. In addition, there are college credit recommendation and evaluation services, like the American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE® Credit), that evaluate and recommend college credits. For example, the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) is a private, non-profit organization that evaluates distance education curriculum.

Some educational institutions may recognize credit recommendations from these varying institutions. However, unless your college credit is regionally accredited, it will have a lower chance of transferring into regionally accredited colleges and universities.

Regional accreditation is better. Period.

Accreditation will gauge not just the quality of the educational credit you’ll receive, but also the transferability. Regional accreditation is the most rigorous type of accreditation, and therefore the most widely accepted.

If you want to knock out general education courses and then transfer that credit to the college of your choice, regional accreditation is the way to go. The last thing you’ll want is to be stuck with is a bunch of lost credit (plus time and money) that you can’t use toward your bachelor’s degree (or master’s or Ph.D. if you decide to pursue higher education someday). Nothing can be more frustrating than taking a step backward and having to repeat course material.

The accreditation level of your credit institution should match the accreditation level of your prospective college, so—to be safe—always check that the courses you’re taking come from a regionally accredited institution.

How do I know if my school is regionally accredited?

To find out if your school is regionally accredited, visit the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website. Here you’ll find links to all six regional accreditation institutions and can discover if your school is accredited by one of the recognized accrediting agencies.

Does Accelerated Pathways offer regionally accredited courses? 

All our courses are regionally accredited through our partner colleges. We've successfully mapped courses to over 2,000 colleges and universities. In fact, the courses you take through Accelerated Pathways are guaranteed to transfer into your target college. We offer a money-back guarantee plus an additional $1,000 to compensate you for time invested in your coursework if your courses do not transfer!

Make sure you’re earning college credit that counts. Let’s get you started!

Being an active-duty member of the military comes with certain perks that you’ll want to take advantage of while you can. If you’re enlisted in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard, you’re entitled to tuition assistance from your branch. Information on how each of the individual military services sets tuition assistance rates can be found at the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) website, but it’s typically a substantial amount and well worth using while you’re on active duty.

But I have military experience. Why do I need a college degree?

Some who enlist in the military serve for their entire careers; however, the majority of service members transition to civilian life, where a college degree can strongly benefit their chances for success in the workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently shows that education is a wise investment regardless of background and experience. Data compiled of workers aged 25+ proves that the more you learn, the more you earn. In fact, bachelor’s degree holders earn an average of $26,104 more per year than high school diploma holders. 

And while it’s true that military training can prepare you for many useful roles, college coursework can expand your horizons in other areas, particularly those applicable to commercial markets and industries. Many colleges have career services and curricula that offer internships, hands-on projects and other integrated job prep programs that give you a head-start on your career path. Even if you plan to stay in the armed forces, earning a degree can be an advantage as you move up the ranks. Commissioned officers are typically required to have a four-year college degree in addition to good leadership, communication, conflict resolution, time management and other soft skills that can be fine-tuned in college. In general, earning a degree can help you expand your future opportunities within the military or upon entering the civilian workforce.

College can also be helpful for many service members who struggle to make the shift from military to civilian life. By earning a degree, the transition becomes much smoother. You’ll make connections and stay tapped into the world outside of military service. And with a degree, you’ll have more desirable and even exciting job opportunities available once you’re ready to join civilian life. Military service is already a bonus for most job applicants, but many will find that the best positions require a college degree. Job applicants with both a college degree and military experience place themselves above the pack of candidates who have just one or the other. By combining a degree with military experience, you can greatly increase your chances of finding gainful employment and exciting opportunities in your preferred role and career path.

By taking advantage of your military tuition assistance benefits, you’ll be working toward a better, smarter you. Earning a degree not only serves as a bridge between your military and civilian life but can also help you develop lasting connections, deeper insights and marketable knowledge that you may not gain elsewhere. Whether you’re interested in learning about the business side of commerce, entrepreneurship, management, marketing, finance, budgeting and economics or something more technical, college is a great place for you to explore, learn and grow in areas that you want to develop. You’ll have a greater ability to discover your interests, become more independent, invest in yourself and choose your own path – rather than have it chosen for you.

How do I get started?

At Pearson Accelerated Pathways, we love to help our military members succeed. That’s why we offer a 10% discount on tuition for active-duty military. We’ve helped thousands of service members find the flexibility they need to attend college – no matter where they’re based.

Our courses are self-paced to work with your active-duty schedule. We coach you the whole way through, starting with a personalized College Options Report that shows you how much we can save you in addition to your military tuition assistance. All you need is a laptop and internet connection. Get started today!

HR professionals know the struggle of selecting and organizing training for an entire staff of employees. There are tons of factors to consider in attempting to maximize and allocate a learning & development (L&D) budget. At the top of the list is choosing whether it’s better to provide training in-house or through an external education partner.

As more companies look to stay competitive by upskilling and reskilling employees, it’s worthwhile to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the different skill development approaches. The decision to train in-house vs. outsource is more important than many realize as it can affect the future growth and success of an organization. So, let’s give it some careful consideration.

In-house Training

In-house or on-the-job training is the most common type of directly provided training offered by employers because it can easily be blended into tasks workers already carry out as part of their jobs. This type of training can be applied to onboarding, provided throughout a worker’s tenure or delivered for specific occupation transitions. Organizations that develop in-house training programs typically have an internal team dedicated to development, for example, an apprenticeship program that combines classroom training provided by senior staff.

Pros

Specific: In-house training is delivered by people who know your company and its needs. Training will be relevant to your specific requirements and in compliance with your internal strategy, corporate goals, market positioning and even branding. Plus, an in-house training team has a greater interest in the final program outcome and success of the company.

Customizable: When training is provided in-house, it’s customizable at the local level. This means the syllabus can target exact requests for learning and foster knowledge transfer between employees. There’s greater control over development and changes/updates can be quickly adapted.

Confidential: In-house development avoids sharing confidential data with an external company. You won’t have to provide proprietary data to outside training designers, courseware developers, educators and other potential hazards to intellectual property and cybersecurity protocols.

Cons

Not employee-centric: In-house training is usually company-specific and doesn’t provide employees with the types of flexible degree and certificate programs they seek to advance their careers. Their learning will be limited to the company knowledge base, which may result in a lack of innovation and fresh ideas for the company and its ability to stay competitive in the marketplace.

Expensive: Although some believe in-house L&D is cheaper to administer, others find it to be more expensive. For organizations without an in-house L&D team, hiring a development team can be costly as it requires new software, authoring tools, studio environments, etc. These tools and licensing fees come with a high price tag, so building your own Learning Management System on a tight budget may not be the best idea.

Time-intensive: In-house learning and development require lots of time to plan, approve and deliver, not to mention the efforts required to train and maintain a team of project managers, instructional designers, courseware developers, trainers and more. Some organizations simply don’t have the resources or budget required to produce good results.

Outsourced Education

Many employers work with educational institutions or partners to develop programs specific to their needs or to offer training for high school completion programs, English-language training programs, higher education degrees and more. These types of programs help workers advance to jobs higher on career ladders and/or to enroll in postsecondary education programs. This skill-building strategy can also involve employers covering the costs (either fully or partially) of programs provided by education and training institutions, either online or onsite at those institutions’ locations.

Pros

Expertise: With an external education partner, you’ll have access to their client services, expert trainers, academic advisors and other higher education experts. They’ll have a fully developed learning platform that may be customizable to your specific learning needs. In addition, they may be able to integrate your training into a Learning Management System that allows you to track who is taking your courses, who has completed your courses, which skill gaps are being filled and other useful data.

Fresh perspectives: The workplace is ever-changing, and training is necessary to keep pace. Even the best in-house training programs can quickly become outdated when trying to keep up with changes in the industry. External educational institutions have experts and insiders who stay current on changes in automation and technology, especially as work becomes increasingly remote and digital. They’ll have course offerings based on the latest advancements and forecasts into the future of work that can give your employees fresh perspectives and insights your internal staff may lack.

Recruitment & retention: Education benefits are becoming one of the most popular workplace perks. As college costs have skyrocketed in the U.S., so has the popularity of education benefits like tuition reimbursement, tuition assistance and employer-sponsored scholarships. More than ever, job seekers are looking for companies with great education benefits that will help them advance in their careers and invest in their futures. By partnering with an education institution, your company can offer the kind of official certifications and degree programs that appeal to employees. In turn, this will allow you to retain and advance your workers as they upskill, reskill and complete their education programs.

Cons

Onboarding: Outsourcing involves taking time to onboard a new partner and get them up to speed on projects and goals that align with your company’s mission and needs. You’ll have to dedicate more time to teaching an external team who isn’t familiar with your business products, services and model.

Disconnect: With an external partner, you may experience less collaboration and more physical distance, which can lead to a disconnect between what you want vs. what is provided. It’ll be important to do your homework and ensure the educational partner you choose is dedicated to your mission.

Non-specific training: While external education institutions can offer a broader range of learning programs, they may not be focused on the specific subjects and skills that are relevant to your business. Their courses may be too generic and unable to address your company’s issues using real-life examples. That means employees may not learn how to solve specific work problems that relate directly to their roles.

__

As you can see, you’ll need to make some tough decisions in determining whether it’s better to develop and administer your own training programs in-house or to bring in an outside company. Ultimately, if you only need to train employees to address a few isolated, well-defined skills, it makes sense to develop your own programs in-house. If you’re looking for a robust educational offering and the ability to offer tuition assistance as a benefit, then an external education partner will likely be your best bet.

Keep in mind, training is only effective when it is both an investment and a commitment made by the company. At Pearson Accelerated Pathways, we help you make the most of your L&D budget by keeping your training consistent and focused on your company's needs. We have the products, platforms, expertise and relationships to design, implement and manage an ecosystem of pathways and services to support your talent and fill your skills gap. Find out how we can help you build a more dynamic, future-proof workforce through state-of-the-art training and education programs.

Certain employee benefits make a business more attractive than others. And while good pay and health benefits usually rank highest among the perks most desired by employees, other benefits have gained popularity in recent years. NetSuite looked at the top employee perks and benefits of 2021 and found that online learning and educational assistance were rated among the most popular. Bright Horizons also found that tuition reimbursement programs now outrank paid sick leave and retirement benefits as a perk.

Why are education benefits so desirable?

As college costs have skyrocketed in the U.S., so has the popularity of education benefits like tuition reimbursement, tuition assistance and employer-sponsored scholarships. As many as 44.7 million Americans are dealing with student loan debt and the average monthly student loan payment ranges from $200 to $300. This means more employees are seeking ways to stay on top of student loan payments or gain affordable opportunities to pursue further education. And with the cost of living also on the rise, this trend is set to continue as employees look for ways to afford an education or offload student debt.

Education benefits also have a strong draw for employees because learning fulfills both personal and professional goals. Employees see organizations that support learning as thriving businesses that will help advance their careers and invest in their futures. In a survey of 22,000 recipients of workplace tuition assistance, 84% said the benefit was an important factor in their decision to join a company. Top employers understand this and are beginning to allocate more funding to tuition reimbursement and other education benefits. 71% of U.S. organizations now offer some form of tuition assistance to their employees and 26% of organizations offer some form of employee reimbursement. From 2018 to 2019, company-provided student loan repayment benefits rose from 4% to 8%.

Employers can also benefit from a more educated workforce. By investing in upskilling and reskilling, companies gain knowledge that benefits their operations and keeps them competitive over the long-term. A two-year study by the Lumina Foundation showed that education reimbursement programs have a 129% return on investment. That means for every dollar a company invests, it generates an additional $1.29. Furthermore, employers that offer educational assistance also benefit from easier talent acquisition, better employee productivity and hefty tax breaks. Section 127 of the US tax code allows employers to deduct over $5,000 per employee per year in tuition reimbursement.

While education perks aren’t new to employee benefits packages, the offerings are becoming more robust and increasingly targeted to a wider audience. Instead of just focusing on employees who want to pursue advanced degrees, many tuition programs are now targeting workers who never went to college in the first place. For frontline or disadvantaged workers, that means not choosing between earning a living vs. earning a degree. They can do both and avoid going into heavy debt.

This kind of win-win advantage is driving more job seekers to pursue companies that offer the best education benefits. Younger job seekers, in particular, are purposefully seeking out employers who will help pay for college tuition. Plenty of online content, message boards and other resources have been created to help them research companies with great education benefits. Blogs like “Taking Advantage of Your Employer’s Education Benefits”, “36 Companies That Pay For College” and “50 Companies with Amazing Tuition Reimbursement Programs” are a sure-fire sign that education as a benefit is not just a passing fad.

As more companies take notice of this trend, investment in education benefits will continue to gain funding. Walmart, the largest private employer in the U.S., recently committed to investing nearly $1 billion over the next five years in career-driven training and development. Other employers have stepped up funding as well, even offering educational programs to both employees and their children. And with high competition for workers right now, employers are motivated to find new ways to appeal to job seekers. By making higher education affordable, companies can make a difference not just in their own recruitment and retention efforts, but also in employee wellbeing and society overall. 

Want to step up your company’s education benefits package to be more competitive in the marketplace? We have just the solution! Pearson Accelerated Pathways works as a partner with your organization—from inception to design—to implement educational strategies that meet the needs of your unique workforce. We administer the right programs that appeal to employees by focusing on their specific needs and best pathways to success. Learn more about our employee-approved education benefits programs today!

Did you know that helping your employees understand and navigate career advancement pathways within your organization is critical to retaining a talented workforce? Studies have shown that employers who don’t offer advancement opportunities for workers, particularly in low-wage jobs, will find difficulty in hiring and retaining talent—not to mention in maintaining a happy staff and positive work culture.

This opportunity gap in the workplace has been amplified during the pandemic, as many workers are not returning to work as expected due to wage stagnation and lack of advancement opportunities. In June 2021, the job opening rate was 6.5%—the highest it’s been since the U.S. Department of Labor began tracking the number in 2001.

A recent study by SPR found that organizations with higher retention rates tend to set clear career pathways and help employees navigate them. Top organizations typically set specific internal goals for advancement (for example, 50% of managers will be promoted from within), and they also implement coaching or mentoring programs to nurture and encourage career development from within.

As one employer in the study noted, “Ultimately, people want to advance. And so, unless they feel like there are career ladders or career pathways, both within a company and within the sector, then they will leave.” According to the Harvard Business Review, workers who don’t see a clear progression from their current role to a better position in their company ultimately turn to opportunities elsewhere.

To ensure your business retains its top talent, here are four best practices (and examples) you can use to help workers navigate internal career pathways:

1. Clearly document career advancement pathways

Businesses should develop clear information about pathways to advancement within the organization. Human resources can look for measures and controls for career advancement and then develop documentation with standards that are fair and transparent across the board. Criteria used to assess employee promotion to the next level should be easily accessible to staff at all levels.

For example: One manufacturer developed a career navigation application for employees that provides a line of sight into career pathways and allows employees to focus on skills they want to develop. Information specific to their position and skill set is also mapped to possible career advancement opportunities.

2. Prioritize and communicate internal advancement

Organizations should work to prioritize promotion from within by clearly communicating the availability of advancement pathways and new job opportunities. This can be done through email, in one-on-one conversations, by putting up flyers or using other internal communication methods. Employees feel valued and prioritized if they know new job openings are posted internally before being advertised outside of the company. Supervisors can also reach out directly to workers who may be targeted for promotion or be a good fit for a specific position. Overall, employees should be well-informed and fully aware of advancement options open to them.

For example: One retailer hosted an open-house fair where management from different departments met with frontline workers to talk about their skills and interests and discuss which career pathways were available based on their specific goals.

3. Create opportunities for career advancement via training programs

Educational program curricula should make clear the connection between training and the company’s internal career advancement pathways. Workers should know what to expect after completing the training (for example, how the training is linked to a raise or a promotion). In some cases, training programs can be clearly connected to promotions or pay increases at predetermined levels. This not only helps the employee; employers can significantly lower costs of recruiting and gain positive long-term outcomes by educating and training their workforce.

For example: A hospital was having trouble hiring lab technicians, so it designed a training program to upskill incumbent employees to fill those positions. Doing so created a new career advancement pathway, cut recruiting costs and established an internal talent pipeline for the hospital.

4. Employ staff whose specific function is to support career advancement

Direct supervisors play an important role in encouraging advancement within an organization. However, many companies have found that employing staff dedicated to helping workers achieve their career goals can be far more beneficial. A point person, such as a career navigator or mentor, can focus solely on assisting workers to determine what training is most appropriate for their career goals. They can also help to find funding (whether employer contribution, loans or grants) to pay for that training. This dedicated staff can be part of internal human resources or employed by outside vendors hired by the company.

For example: At one insurance company, workers can seek mentorship outside their department if they have an interest in exploring other areas. This employee mentoring program provides them with guidance and support about how to advance within the company and helps them to meet with teams in other departments or units who may have openings.

As The Great Resignation persists, employee retention remains a top priority for many businesses. By helping employees navigate clearly mapped career pathways—through documentation, communication, training and other supports—organizations can gain an advantage in the war on talent.

At Pearson Accelerated Pathways, we understand that best-in-class organizations do not adopt and implement these strategies one at a time or in isolation. That’s why we work to align with your company culture and capacity to provide a holistic approach to employee retention and advancement. We have a proven track record of upskilling workforces and helping organizations build an internal talent pipeline for the future of work. Learn more about how we can offer your employees advancement opportunities and custom career pathways through learning and education.