First-of-its-kind Partnership helps students gain skills and explore careers while they study

HOBOKEN, N.J., Nov. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pearson (FTSE: PSON.L), the world's leading learning company and Forage, a platform dedicated to helping students get jobs at the world's top employers, today announced a partnership to embed job simulations into Pearson's MyLab courseware platform and in Pearson+.

Millions of students use MyLab each year to access their coursework and eTextbooks. This month, Forage's simulations will be available in MyLab to students studying 15 business and economics disciplines, including marketing, finance, and accounting. Later this year, Pearson+ users will have access to Forage's full library of nearly 350 job simulations and starting in 2024, students can earn badges from Credly when they complete a Forage job simulation. Credly is a Pearson solution.

"Preparing for the workforce can be daunting for any college student. Now students can build their skills anywhere, anytime, inside the same trusted Pearson platforms they already use for their studies," said Tom ap Simon, president of Pearson's Higher Education division. "This is yet another way we are helping students stand out from the crowd, bridge the gap between college and the workplace, and achieve their ultimate goal of landing a great job."

"We are proud to partner with Pearson, a true giant in the education space," said Tom Brunskill, CEO and co-founder at Forage. "Through this partnership, Forage will build on Pearson's offering by giving students access to job simulations authored by some of the world's most iconic employers. We are excited that this partnership will allow Forage to continue to deliver on its ambition to get millions of motivated students into great jobs by giving all students the visibility, resources, and confidence to succeed."

Four million students have used Forage to prepare for interviews and land internships. Their job simulations are built with some of the world's most prestigious and recognizable employers, such as Red Bull, lululemon, Accenture, BCG, GE Aerospace, and Citi. Forage simulations allow students to explore what it's like to work in their desired field and gain practical skills to bolster what they've learned in the classroom. Students also have the option of letting companies see their completed work, an opportunity that has resulted in students being over 2x more likely to land a job with the employer whose simulation they've completed. Students using Forage make up nearly 20% of employers' early talent hires.

Universities are increasingly recognizing the need for job skills in the classroom. Urszula Zalewski, Director of Experiential Learning at Stony Brook University, said "While higher education institutions provide students with a strong academic foundation, there is a growing need for a broader set of skills in the ever-evolving job market. Many employers seek candidates who not only possess technical knowledge but also demonstrate proficiency in soft skills. Faculty at Stony Brook University encourage a culture of lifelong learning and help students stay competitive by introducing Forage job simulations in the classroom."

Student Alvin Fan landed a job with Citi after completing a Forage simulation. "This program on Forage is like having binoculars," Fan said. "You aren't experiencing the entire environment yet, but you get to peer across to see what it's like, piecing together what you have read about. After the Citi program, I knew what skills I needed to focus on. It helped me to understand what I need to work on and what I might be good at."

About Pearson

At Pearson, our purpose is simple: to add life to a lifetime of learning. We believe that every learning opportunity is a chance for a personal breakthrough. That's why our c.20,000 Pearson employees are committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are the world's leading learning company, serving customers in nearly 200 countries with digital content, assessments, qualifications, and data. For us, learning isn't just what we do. It's who we are. Visit us pearsonplc.com.

About Forage

Forage is on a mission to bridge the gap between educations and career success with its virtual job simulations. Forage's job simulations are created by the world's largest employers, giving millions of students the opportunity to demonstrate intent, explore company culture, and hit the ground running with valuable, real-world career skills. By flipping the hire-then-train model, employers like Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and BCG benefit from motivated candidates that are 2.16x more likely to receive, and accept, a job offer. Check out Forage at theforage.com.

SOURCE Pearson