HigherNext, Inc. and Education at Work Sign Strategic Partnership

PHILADELPHIA & CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

HigherNext Inc. (HigherNext), the creator of the Certified Business Laureate (CBL) Program & Exam, and Education at Work, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that exclusively employs college students to provide outsourced call center, back office and staff augmentation services, today announced a strategic partnership which would include HigherNext's CBL program as a key component of the developmental program for Education at Work's student-employees. As a result of the partnership, Education at Work's student-employees will have access to the CBL accreditation tests at a discounted rate. Additionally, HigherNext's CBL program participants will have access to employment opportunities through Education at Work, and HigherNext's CBL program will be available to a broader exposure of corporate and collegiate partners.

Guy Friedman, the CEO of HigherNext, voiced his enthusiasm for the alliance, "This is a fantastic partnership that truly benefits all parties. Both of our student groups will benefit as they develop for career readiness, and this also greatly increases the awareness of our core skills certification program for the companies and organizations with which Education at Work is associated. Partnerships like these help to improve the employment situation for college graduates seeking entry-level jobs."

GPAs, majors, degrees and work experience can vary widely across geographies and campuses. The CBL Program offered by HigherNext features a set of standardized jobs skills tests which serve to create a consistent measure of business skills and knowledge across all entry-level job candidates. These job skills tests cover five key business areas: financial proficiency, basic accounting, general marketing, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and business writing. All candidates take the exam via a secure online portal where they are recorded by their own webcams to ensure fair administration of the testing environment.

David Dougherty, Founder and CEO of Education at Work, expressed his thoughts, "This partnership with HigherNext is key for the students we employ to develop the skills they'll need to compete for real world jobs. This is yet another advantage we've found that helps to ensure that our clients have the best and brightest student workforce to assist their customers today, as well as to build their pipeline with great entry-level talent for the future."

About HigherNext, Inc.
HigherNext, Inc. is a business-education firm committed to helping entry-level job seekers differentiate themselves while quantifiably demonstrating their abilities to prospective employers. The firm created the Certified Business Laureate™ Program, featuring a series of online standardized tests that cover practical business knowledge in five key areas: financial proficiency, basic accounting, general marketing, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and business writing, and an accompanying certifying credential for top-scoring candidates. For more information, visit www.highernext.com.

About Education at Work
Education at Work is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing wholly outsourced or staff augmentation services for call center and back office operations of leading companies, delivered exclusively in the U.S. Education at Work employs an agent work force that is made up entirely of college students actively pursuing their degrees. Education at Work's clients enjoy access to a high quality domestic U.S. service environment, pricing that is competitive with offshore markets – enabling them to repatriate American jobs, and a student population that can be a future talent pipeline for their firm. College students who work for Education at Work enjoy competitive base wages plus a tuition assistance program that pays up to $6,000/year, based on work and academic performance. Students can graduate virtually debt-free through Education at Work with fundamental skills that better prepares them for success in the 21st century job market. For more information, please visit www.education-at-work.org, or subscribe to the Education at Work blog: educationatworkblog.com. You can also find them on Facebook and LinkedIn.