Interplay Learning Partners with Graduation Alliance to Empower Learners with Career-Ready Skills

Partnership Launches Career-Focused Training Pathways, Bringing In-Demand Trade Skills to At-Risk Learners

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Interplay Learning, the leader in immersive career development solutions for the skilled trades, has partnered with Graduation Alliance, a national leader in workforce education, to bring career-focused virtual training to youth and adult learners. This collaboration provides students across the United States with a pathway to careers in essential fields, enabling individuals to enhance their skills and increase their earning potential.

Graduation Alliance has spent 17 years helping individuals who left high school before graduating earn a diploma and improve their career opportunities. This partnership with Interplay Learning is a strategic next step in Graduation Alliance's mission to address economic inequities. Students will have safe, virtual access to skilled trades training in seven high-demand fields, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and facilities maintenance, helping them prepare for steady, well-paying jobs with a future.

"Our mission at Graduation Alliance is to help individuals complete their education and secure meaningful, stable employment," said Ron Klausner, CEO of Graduation Alliance. "Our partnership with Interplay strengthens our efforts to break cycles of poverty and create pathways to economic empowerment by connecting students to in-demand jobs across the country, providing them with stability, choice, and autonomy in their careers."

The program will initially serve Graduation Alliance's Dropout Recovery and Adult Workforce Diploma programs, which cater to students who have faced challenges with traditional schooling. By providing a flexible training solution, students can safely access interactive, simulation-based learning anytime and anywhere with an internet connection.

Interplay's flexible online solution is tailored to diverse learners, offering scaffolded pathways that allow students to build skills progressively and earn industry-recognized certifications in as little as eight to 16 weeks. Learners can also earn credentials like EPA 608 and OSHA 10, so they stand out in an increasingly competitive workforce.

"At Interplay Learning, we're driven by a commitment to make career advancement accessible for everyone, regardless of location or background," said Doug Donovan, co-founder and CEO of Interplay Learning. "This partnership with Graduation Alliance enables us to reach a new group of learners with our immersive, simulation-based training, equipping them with skills for life-long careers that are sustainable and in high demand."

Graduation Alliance provides holistic career-readiness support through its career coaches, who mentor and guide learners throughout the training. Graduation Alliance's program can make skills training more accessible to nontraditional and at-risk learners, offering them additional career options and making it easier for them to stay on track toward their career goals.

By delivering high-quality, interactive training, Graduation Alliance and Interplay Learning empower learners with marketable skills in a flexible, accessible format. This partnership represents a significant step forward in workforce development, supporting individuals who have not thrived in traditional school environments—whether due to economic challenges or other personal circumstances—as they work toward rewarding careers and increased earning potential.

About Graduation Alliance
Since 2007, Graduation Alliance has given schools and communities across the nation the resources and support needed to help individuals reach their educational and career goals. In partnership with school districts, local governments, nonprofits, workforce development boards, and community colleges, Graduation Alliance develops highly effective alternative education and workforce training programs. For more information about Graduation Alliance, visit GraduationAlliance.com.

About Interplay Learning
Austin-based Interplay Learning is the industry leader in immersive career development for the skilled trades. Interplay's acclaimed training platform enables rapid upskilling and empowers new technicians to be job-ready within weeks, not years. Featuring hands-on 3D simulations, expert-led videos, knowledge checks, and personalized learning paths, Interplay's immersive platform is more scalable and engaging than traditional training. Leveraging advanced technologies like AI and VR, Interplay is reshaping the future of online skilled trades training, delivering highly effective learning experiences that result in better careers and better lives. Since 2016, the company has trained more than 250,000 people using immersive learning technology and has worked closely with nearly 2,000 businesses and educational organizations. Recent accolades include Fast Company's Annual List of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024, AHR's 2024 Innovation Award, IACET 2024 Innovation of the Year Award – Technology Integration category, NFMT 2024 Vision Awards – Analytics and Management Software, Forbes' 2023 America's Best Startup Employers, 2022 Inc. 5000 list, 2022 Inc. Best in Business list, and three honorable mentions in Fast Company's 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards. Visit www.interplaylearning.com to learn more.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
(865) 977-1973
[email protected]

SOURCE Interplay Learning