Spotlight on: Pearson U Employee Apprenticeship program

This summer, Pearson began issuing digital badges through Acclaim to recognize those individuals who participate in the company’s apprenticeship program.The Pearson U Employee Apprenticeship program provides a whole host of benefits to Pearson employees based in the U.K.  Employees can:

• Earn professional and industry-recognized qualifications that could expand career paths across the company
• Gain insights into their job role and identify ways to improve relevant skills
• Take credit for the soft skills that are essential to so many jobs across Pearson
• Build stronger connections with line managers, mentors and others in Pearson that can contribute to career-long relationships

Badges are issued for milestones that signify progression through the program. Because apprenticeships span upwards of a year’s time, an individual can earn several milestone badges. These milestones are important steps toward completing an apprenticeship, and the badges help employees recognize their progress and share the skills learned along the way. Once the apprenticeship is complete, a badge is issued to provide full details of the earner’s achievement. The badge can be an important signifier to managers that an individual has reached a new career level.

"When I received my Acclaim digital badges for the work I was doing to support apprenticeships and my own studies, I felt a great sense of accomplishment," said Chris Hughes, an account specialist within Pearson. " It proved that I was not only doing a good job but gave me the opportunity to create a LinkedIn profile and start to promote myself and my skillset to any future employers."

“We believe that digital badges will provide new avenues of opportunity for Pearson U apprentices thanks to easy sharing and verification by managers and our HR team,” said Anne Ashworth, head of Pearson employee apprenticeships. “Digital recognition of achievements and skills learned is the right way for our employees to capitalize on their experience with the Pearson U Employee Apprenticeship program.”