"GED graduates get jobs!"

Since the GED tests came to Ontario in 1996, the GED Achievement program has been available through school boards, First Nations communities, social service agencies, career counselling centres, private schools, non-profit organizations and other institutions.

With the increased confidence and self-esteem that comes with having reached their academic goals, many clients have moved permanently off support and into good, well-paying, permanent jobs - often within weeks of earning their certificate. Others have gone on to further skills training in community colleges and private schools.

Our program is of value to your agency if you have clients without a high school diploma (OSSD) but who possess good reading, writing, problem solving, and thinking skills. If they have a job or training opportunity awaiting them that requires a GED, then our service is essential.

The GED Tests and our GED Achievement program support job-finding plans. Your clients can access our public programs, or we can run an in-house program if there is a sufficient number of clients.

Where a service agency has arranged funding for a candidate, our policy requires that our coaches and administrators work closely with the appropriate workers and case managers. To date we have served clients in five regions and cities.

GED Achievement works in co-operation with Social Services / Ontario Works in Toronto, York Region and other communities.

GED Achievement has partnerships that can be used to meet the specific needs of your organization - whether it is the GED Readiness Assessment or the full GED Achievement program.

School Districts Join with Private Sector to offer GED Preparation

When the GED Tests were adopted as the official Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate, major school districts partnered with GED Achievement. Offering our program gives their continuing education clients access to a proven GED program.

GED Achievement is partnered with the Toronto, Niagara, York Region, Halton, and Hamilton/Wentworth District School Boards.

THE GED Achievement PROGRAM

GED Achievement is Ontario's premier high school equivalency program. Recognized for the quality and effectiveness of our program, we help individuals assess their readiness to write the GED Tests. GED Achievement has a coaching program to fit their needs, build their confidence, and greatly improve their chance for success on the GED Tests.

GED Readiness Assessment

To begin our program, clients attend a GED Readiness Assessment that determines whether they have the skills and knowledge to pass the GED Tests. It also indicates the level of their skills in critical thinking, problem solving. and in reading and writing.

As well, it provides our coaches with the information they need to personalize the GED Coaching for them.

The GED Readiness Assessment may indicate that some candidates are able to write the GED Tests immediately and these will be directed to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

We will counsel those requiring additional learning and direct them to programs provided through our own resources, or by arrangement with public, community, or private providers.

Candidates who are likely to be successful with the GED tests are invited to enter our GED Coaching program.

GED Coaching

This consists of six 2-1/2 hour small-group Coaching sessions spread over a three to six week period. These sessions focus on the skills common to many or all of the GED Tests rather than on specific curriculum material. Working closely with experienced adult educators, your clients will learn reading, writing, and test-taking strategies. They will also be given homework assignments to sharpen their skills in all areas. Finally, they will write the 3-1/2 hour Official Practice Tests.

After the Official Practice Tests have been evaluated and discussed with them, our team of analysts, coaches and administrators continues to monitor their progress, providing encouragement and counselling. 

They are now ready to write the GED Tests! They may attend an official Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Test Site or, if numbers warrant, the Ministry may provide testing in the location where they took the GED Achievement program.

Our personalized approach rewards our candidates with a very high success rate on their GED Tests.

WORTH NOTING!

Many people have the potential to earn their GED certificate. Some can write the tests immediately, while others needs a few months of review and practice. Those who may have left school early and who have not had the opportunity to pick up the necessary skills will require extra time to get ready.

In almost all cases, the GED program is still the quickest path to a high school certificate.

PRICING AND FUNDING

Many regional and municipal Social Services departments already fund the GED Achievement program fees for their Ontario Works clients.

If your client is receiving Employment Insurance (EI) or meets the HRDC reach-back criteria, our GED Achievement program meets the intent of the Skills Development Employment Benefit (SDEB).

If your client has a job, his or her employer may have an educational reimbursement policy that covers all or part of the GED Achievement fees.

Given that a GED certificate can get your client permanently into a good job quickly, the reduction in support costs represents a very high rate of return on your GED Achievement program fees.

Our fee structure comprises a per-person fee for each of the GED Readiness Assessment and the GED Coaching (which includes the textbook and Official GED Practice Test).

If some of your clients have been laid off recently, the labour adjustment program may assist with the cost of the GED Achievement high school equivalency program.

For specific information regarding the GED Achievement program for community service agencies, contact us at:            office@ged.on.ca