Even With Local Economy in Rough Times, Local Business -- Top Test Prep -- Adding up to 100 New Jobs to Economy

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Increased hiring in professional and business services proved to be the engine that drove unemployment numbers in January to their lowest levels in three years. Small businesses like Top Test Prep from the Metro D.C. area have committed to adding jobs across the nation, resulting in a boost to economic growth in the midst of an unusually slow recovery.

The latest figures from the Department of Labor show that unemployment has fallen for the fourth straight month. In addition, the number of available jobs was revised upwards for November and December. The economic picture shows the nation is recovering slowly but gaining steam, driven by a few active sectors. While federal and local government jobs declined, this data was lost in the surge of new jobs offered in the business and professional services sectors. The vast majority of those jobs were created by small business.

Top Test Prep is one of the companies expanding their workforce due to exploding demand for private tutoring and test prep services. During the recession, jobs and entire professions disappeared for good, sending many people back into the education system for retraining. Increased competition for jobs also fueled the boom in education as both job seekers and those looking to advance in their fields discovered the need to expand their knowledge base and gain certifications.

The increasing demand for tutoring and test prep services is also driven by the current skills gap plaguing the American economy. One of the top conditions cited by entrepreneurs for the current cycle of less than robust hiring is the "skills gap" that has widened in recent years. A skills gap is created when, although jobs exist, the available labor force does not have the skills sufficient to be successful in their fields. This problem has been particularly acute in the engineering and technological sectors.       

Ross Blankenship, founder of Top Test Prep, explained that his company has taken advantage of the new education economy by a focus on intelligent hiring. Top Test Prep has become one of the fastest growing tutoring and test prep providers by paying better salaries, vetting tutors more carefully, and keeping them employed for longer than his competitors.

"We just hired a new tutor," explained Blankenship. "Sophie was in-between tutoring jobs in a tough economy and wanted to join the team for the added economic stability as she transitions to grad school. A graduate from a top college, Sophie is realizing her dreams while helping others reach for theirs. This is the kind of story that really inspires us and makes our company different."

One major benefit of Blankenship's business model, in terms of local economies, is that because tutors can be hired remotely and still work in their own communities, it brings a direct impact into local economies. Not only does this hiring help communities in the short term, the improved prospects for educational achievement by area students can offer long-term, cyclical positive reinforcement.

About Top Test Prep:

Top Test Prep provides private tutoring and admissions counseling to help students gain admission to the best prep schools, colleges and graduate schools.  In addition, Top Test Prep's team offers students courses and an instructional model that strengthens and improves exam scores.  Top Test Prep is a full-service test prep and tutoring company serving nearly 30 cities across America.  

Contact Information: 

Margaret Doan
Communications Director,
(202) 618-4474
[email protected]

SOURCE Top Test Prep