Pearson acquires workforce assessment provider PDRI

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Pearson announced it entered an agreement with SHL Group to acquire Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, LLC (PDRI) on Dec. 19, a trusted provider of workforce assessment services. 

PDRI specializes in providing assessment solutions to the U.S. government. The acquisition further expands Pearson’s portfolio, accelerating the company’s strategy to capture new market opportunities and grow its presence with large employers.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to expand this important market for Pearson and our assessments business,” Chief Executive of Pearson Andy Bird said in a news release. “Pearson and PDRI share a culture and commitment of serving trusted, secure, and innovative assessment solutions to major employers and millions of people looking to establish and grow their careers. Together, we will have a stronger proposition and a larger platform from which to drive future growth.”   

Founded in 1975, PDRI has built a strong reputation for delivering quality talent assessments, including tailored assessments to support hiring practices for U.S. government agencies. The acquisition significantly expands Pearson’s services to U.S. federal agencies, including through PDRI’s partnership with the Office of Personnel Management to deliver the USA Hire platform. The USA Hire platform serves more than 40 agencies and is utilized to assess more than 500,000 applicants annually.  

PDRI will join Pearson’s Assessment & Qualifications division. Within this division, Pearson and PDRI already have an established, strong working relationship, partnering to deliver high quality assessments to federal job seekers at Pearson VUE test centers.

“Pearson has an excellent reputation in the assessments field, and we are excited to become a part of their growth strategy,” said Elaine Pulakos, chief executive officer of PDRI, in a statement. “There is a significant opportunity to learn from each other to further improve our products and reach more customers with our proven assessment and talent solutions.” 

Completion of the acquisition is expected to occur during the first half of 2023. The consideration for PDRI represents an enterprise value of $190 million, which will be funded from Pearson’s existing cash and available liquidity.