1000 Futures is a social impact initiative that's investing in the United States' future workforce by opening up meaningful career pathways for its most undervalued residents.

1000 Futures offers you a unique opportunity to join a small group of esteemed business leaders to lead a pivotal shift, creating a legacy of meaningful employment that will echo through the corridors of our nation's industries.

Led by 1000 Futures Patrons

Anelle De Beer

Bridget Gray,
CEO, Gray Ventures

Vicki Greene,
President, GED Testing Service

Cia Kouparitsas,
CCO, WithYouWithMe

About the initiative

1000 Futures is an opportunity for corporate leaders to drive the charge towards a more inclusive and skilled workforce.

The initiative aims to help level up the workforce by securing 1000 meaningful employment opportunities in every major US city at leading organizations for some of the country's most marginalized achievers, GED® graduates.

1000 Futures calls upon top employers to not only recognize the untapped potential within this demographic but to actively engage by committing to filling open tech roles with people from this diverse and highly valuable upskilled talent pool.

The initiative is run in partnership with the GED Tech Apprenticeship™️ program, which provides more than 700,000 GED learners each year with high-demand tech career skills that take them beyond high school equivalency, opening doors to substantial careers within the thriving digital economy.

This is a social impact initiative led by a collective of organizations seeking to change the world for good, including Gray Ventures, WithYouWithMe, and the GED Testing Service.

Join us on our mission to ignite change.

Meet some of our inspiring GED graduates

Shoma

New York

"I am only here because I was able to get an education," says Shoma. "Being able to learn in a supportive environment and receive my GED certificate has changed the course of my life. I am looking forward to giving back to the city and society that afforded me such an important lifeline."

In Bangladesh at the age of 13, Shoma was kidnapped and forced into marriage. Her abusive husband removed Shoma from her family and relocated her to New York, where she had three children at a very young age and remained isolated from the city, unable to speak the language of those around her. When her children started school she began teaching herself to speak English and soon learned about the GED and the opportunities it could afford her to pursue an education in the US. Her husband forbade her from signing up.

Eventually, with the unwavering support of her local Community College, the police, and the family court, Shoma found the strength to stand up against her husband and divorce him; then move into a home of her own with her children. Over the next few years, she studied for her GED, ultimately attaining her credential and a scholarship to NYU Silver School of Social Work.

Eager to join an industry that had helped her so much, Shoma studied social work, graduating with flying colors and securing two partial scholarship offers to complete her Master's degree at NYU or Columbia. She still works part-time as a cashier to pay her way through study.

Rogelio is a passionate visual artist and technologist with a keen interest in how data and technology can be used to improve people’s lives. Originally from Mexico, Rogelio was part-way through studying a Computer Science degree when he moved to California to be with his girlfriend, who since became his wife.

Upon arriving in the US, Rogelio gained his work permit and picked up several contractor roles in data entry and analysis. Eager to find a more permanent career pathway aligned with his potential, Rogelio sought to transfer his academic qualifications from Mexico but faced extensive barriers with unforeseen costs, bureaucracy and the time it would take for qualifications to be transferred.

He chose instead to sit the GED, completing the assessments and securing his credential in less than two weeks. Following this, he joined the GED Tech Apprenticeship program and began training in data analytics to boost his existing credentials. After completing his training, Rogelio secured a role as an Apprentice Data Analyst with GED Testing Service, where he can make a meaningful contribution to the education sector, using data to unlock opportunities for people just like him.

Rogelio’s wife has now signed up for the program and is training to become a Digital Project Manager.

Rogelio

Yuba City

“As a data analyst, I view myself as a modern-day detective, tasked with extracting meaningful conclusions from vast amounts of information,” says Rogelio. “The prospect of contributing to high-impact solutions for societal challenges, such as improving access to education, fuels my enthusiasm.”

Halima

New York

“I am looking for someone to give me a chance with an entry-level tech position,” says Halima. “While I don’t have any previous full-time work experience in this field, I have held important roles before and have the education and skills necessary to work in this field. Cyber is a perfect match for me and I know I will succeed, once I get my foot in the door.”

Halima was born in Morocco but spent most of her life in Brussels, Belgium where she lived for 30 years. Her early career was exciting, spanning politics at the European Union and Foreign Ministry and a small stint working in TV.

In 2012, she moved to New York, determined to build a life for herself despite not speaking English or having any family or connections. She worked as a French tutor before pursuing a career in healthcare, becoming a Certified Nurse Aide and taking phlebotomy and EKG classes.

Halima juggled tutoring during the day and night shifts at Mount Sinai Hospital to gain experience before landing a coveted night shift role at New York Presbyterian Hospital. But soon after, she had an accident at work where she sustained a severe knee injury and was told by her doctor she could never work as a nurse again.

Despite the challenges she faced during her recovery, Halima was determined to find a new path, pivoting to a career in IT and finding her true passion in cybersecurity. She understood she needed a locally recognized education credential to pursue a career in tech in the United States, and in January 2024, she passed her GED exam. She also received an invitation to the GED Tech Apprenticeship program, through which she is now studying to be a Cyber Security Analyst.

Halima is currently working in a temporary contract role as a Full Stack Web Developer but hopes to soon find a permanent opportunity in cybersecurity where she can discover the full extent of her abilities and not be hindered by her injury.

At home in Pakistan, Musub completed a bachelor's degree in computer science. He spent a year working as a Software Engineer but found he wasn’t content with his role as his true passion lay in IT. Unfortunately, the scope of roles available in Pakistan’s technology sector were limited.

He decided to expand his opportunities by moving to the United States but found the job market incredibly challenging. Despite having a degree and a year of experience, he could not even secure an entry-level role without a US-based qualification.

Determined to find a meaningful career in IT, Musub completed his GED and signed up for the GED Tech Apprenticeship program. He completed his training in IT Service Delivery and was soon selected for a role as a Desktop Support Specialist with a global leader in digital transformation.

Now, with his foot in the door in the US IT sector, Musub is excited to see where his career will go and has ambitions to become a mentor for others looking to enter the industry.

Musub

Danvers

“It’s amazing how tech only continues to grow and expand with time. When you’re working in tech, you need to be able to adapt to all the changes and that’s something that really excites me. It’s a never-ending journey of knowledge.”

12-Month Program

The roadmap for employers

5 simple steps

1.

GED graduates complete our suite of psychometric and aptitude testing to identify core strengths and match their cognitive abilities to a tech career.

2.

Participants then undertake self-paced, online training (aligned with the Skills Framework for the Information Age) across 11 high-demand career pathways.

3.

Participants deliver a practical presentation to prospective employers to demonstrate their technical proficiency.

4.

Participants deploy into an entry-level tech apprenticeship role within your organization.

5.

Participants are a contract employee to your organization for 12 months, continuing to build their skills along the way. At the end of the 12-month contract, your organization can choose whether to hire them as a full-time employee.

The GED Tech Apprenticeship program is a revolutionary social impact initiative designed to enable the 700,000 people who sit the GED each year to launch their careers in the digital economy.

Developed by skills-based employment leader, WithYouWithMe in partnership with GED Testing Service®, the program offers a unique blend of education, mentorship and hands-on experience to prepare GED graduates for entry-level roles.

withyouwithme.com/ged-tech-apprenticeship-program

WithYouWithMe (WYWM) is a social impact company that seeks to use technological innovation to solve underemployment. As an early leader in the skills-based workforce movement, the company has established a market-leading presence by creating a repeatable, data-led approach to measuring and building human capability.

Founded in Australia in 2016, WYWM has more than 100,000 users on its Potential software platform and has rapidly expanded to Canada, the United Kingdom and United States. WYWM supports government, defence and commercial clients worldwide; and community, not for profit and educational institutions to grow critical skills across their workforce and create diverse new talent.

withyouwithme.com

The GED test has opened doors to better jobs and college programs for more than 20 million graduates since 1942. The GED test is accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges and employers.

As the creator of the one official GED test, GED Testing Service has a responsibility to ensure that the program continues to be a reliable and valuable pathway to a better life for the millions of adults without a high school diploma. GED Testing Service is a joint venture between the American Council on Education and Pearson.

GED Testing Service LLC | GED.com

The GED Tech Apprenticeship program is a revolutionary social impact initiative designed to enable the 700,000 people who sit the GED each year to launch their careers in the digital economy.

Developed by skills-based employment leader, WithYouWithMe in partnership with GED Testing Service®, the program offers a unique blend of education, mentorship and hands-on experience to prepare GED graduates for entry-level roles.

Learn more about the GED Tech Apprenticeship

The GED test has opened doors to better jobs and college programs for more than 20 million graduates since 1942. The GED test is accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges and employers.

As the creator of the one official GED test, GED Testing Service has a responsibility to ensure that the program continues to be a reliable and valuable pathway to a better life for the millions of adults without a high school diploma. GED Testing Service is a joint venture between the American Council on Education and Pearson.

Learn more about the GED Testing Service

WithYouWithMe (WYWM) is a social impact company that seeks to use technological innovation to solve underemployment. As an early leader in the skills-based workforce movement, the company has established a market-leading presence by creating a repeatable, data-led approach to measuring and building human capability.

Founded in Australia in 2016, WYWM has more than 100,000 users on its Potential software platform and has rapidly expanded to Canada, the United Kingdom and United States. WYWM supports government, defence and commercial clients worldwide; and community, not for profit and educational institutions to grow critical skills across their workforce and create diverse new talent.

Learn more about WithYouWithMe