If you search for Guild Education, you will find plenty about employer-paid education benefits — but Guild is not a school and not a GED program. Guild is an education-benefits platform that connects employers with education providers, helps employees find and enroll in eligible programs, and handles the administrative work that makes continuing education feel overwhelming. Instead of paying tuition out of pocket and waiting for reimbursement, many participating employers pay for approved programs directly through Guild — so eligible workers often start without upfront costs.
Think of Guild as the bridge between your employer and the school you want to attend. It manages eligibility checks, enrollment support, education coaching, program selection, payment administration, and ongoing learner support across a large network of providers — from high school completion and certificates to associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is legitimate: many Fortune 1000 companies, including Walmart, Target, Lowe's, Chipotle, Disney, Discover, and AdventHealth, use Guild to manage education benefits.
But separate the platform from the schools inside it. Guild does not issue diplomas, and Guild does not issue GED credentials. The credential comes from the education provider you enroll with: Penn Foster awards the diploma, and GED Testing Service awards the GED through GEDWorks. Many workers searching for Guild Education benefits assume Guild itself provides the credential. It does not — it simply helps eligible employees access education funded by their employer.
Many workers hear their employer say "we'll help you get your GED," then discover they are being offered something slightly different: a high school diploma. Both credentials have value and both help people qualify for jobs, training, and many college opportunities — but they are not the same credential, and the difference between a diploma and a GED is one of the most important parts of choosing the right path.
This is the path many people mistakenly call a GED program — it is not. Penn Foster's high school completion program leads to an accredited high school diploma, delivered online and completed at your own pace through coursework rather than a single series of exams. Key features include an accredited diploma, self-paced online learning, transfer-credit opportunities, and flexible scheduling for working adults. Completion time varies — many learners finish within roughly 6 to 24 months depending on previous education and study time. Employers commonly associated with this route include Walmart (through Live Better U) and Target.
If you want the actual GED credential, GEDWorks is the program to understand. Operated by GED Testing Service — the organization behind the GED exam — it is built around helping employees earn a GED, combining preparation and testing into one package. Eligible employees typically receive a personalized study plan, online study materials, practice tests, one-on-one tutoring, a personal advisor, Spanish-language support, and GED test vouchers. Crucially, GEDWorks covers both preparation and testing costs for eligible participants. Employers using GEDWorks include Amazon through Career Choice, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Sheetz, Chili's, and Murphy USA.
Feature | Penn Foster via Guild | GEDWorks |
|---|
Credential earned | Accredited high school diploma | GED credential |
Managed by | Penn Foster with Guild support | GED Testing Service |
Learning style | Coursework and assignments | GED test preparation |
Timeline | Usually 6 to 24 months | Depends on test readiness |
Cost for eligible employees | Employer-funded when covered | Employer-funded including test fees |
Example employers | Walmart, Target | Amazon, Taco Bell, KFC |
Neither path is automatically better — it depends on your employer's benefit and your goal. Choose the diploma pathway if you want a traditional high school diploma and prefer coursework. Choose GEDWorks if you want the GED credential and prefer a test-based route. The important takeaway: when someone says your employer pays for your GED, do not assume they mean the GED exam itself. Ask whether the benefit covers a Penn Foster diploma through Guild or the actual GED through GEDWorks.
