Pearson agrees to acquire skills assessment firm Workera
The proposed acquisition would add Workera’s assessment of demonstrated skills to Pearson’s enterprise learning business.
The proposed acquisition would add Workera’s assessment of demonstrated skills to Pearson’s enterprise learning business.
Pearson has agreed to acquire Workera, a US company whose platform assesses employees’ skills through role-specific scenarios and simulations.
Workera combines adaptive assessments, AI and psychometrics to measure proficiency, including AI skills. Employers can use the results to identify gaps, direct employees to relevant learning and assess whether their skills have improved.
The approach addresses a problem with workforce skills data. Job histories, self-assessments and course completions can help build a picture of capability, but they do not necessarily show whether someone can apply a skill. Workera asks people to demonstrate it in an assessment. The company is also developing ways to draw evidence from work activity over time.
Pearson says Workera’s assessments could inform hiring, internal moves, redeployment and workforce planning, as well as learning.
Vishaal Gupta, president of Enterprise Learning & Skills at Pearson, said: ‘An organization's ability to assess and develop skills will be key. Combining Workera's talented workforce and technology, with Pearson's expertise in learning and assessment, strengthens our ability to help enterprises close skills gaps faster and build more agile and capable workforces.’
Kian Katanforoosh, founder and CEO, Workera, said: ‘The future will require all of us to develop new skills and learn faster than ever. Together, we'll bring Workera's AI and Pearson's deep expertise in learning and assessment to a shared ambition: building the gold standard for workforce readiness and helping people achieve more than they thought possible.’
Founded in 2019 and based in Palo Alto, Workera serves enterprise and government customers. Pearson names Accenture, ServiceNow and the United States Space Force among them.
If the acquisition completes, Workera will join Pearson’s Enterprise Learning & Skills business and Kian Katanforoosh will join the unit’s leadership team.
Pearson expects the deal to complete in the second half of 2026, subject to closing conditions and any required regulatory filings or approvals. It has not disclosed the price.