GALWAY, IRELAND – 2025-12-18
Alison has recorded its highest-ever monthly engagement with its Abstract Reasoning Test, marking a new global milestone in how Learners are preparing for job applications and interviews.
The record participation comes as companies shift towards skills-based hiring and assessment-driven selection. According to Harvard Business Review, about 76% of employers worldwide now use skills-based assessments, including cognitive and aptitude tests, in their recruitment processes.
As a result, job seekers are preparing earlier and more deliberately. Alison Learners are increasingly practising the same assessment formats they are likely to encounter during recruitment, helping them reduce uncertainty and build confidence ahead of interviews and screening stages.
Turning Preparation Into Real-World Confidence
Aptitude testing is now a standard part of recruitment across a wide range of roles, from administration and customer support to graduate programmes and professional services. Rather than assessing job-specific knowledge alone, these tests focus on how candidates think, learn, and solve problems in unfamiliar situations – abilities increasingly linked to long-term job performance and adaptability.
Alison’s record-breaking month of Abstract Reasoning Test completions reflects a wider shift in how Learners are preparing for assessment-led hiring. Alongside abstract reasoning, Alison also offers Verbal and Numerical Reasoning Tests, enabling Learners to practise the full range of cognitive skills commonly assessed by employers. Together, these assessments generate data-driven insights through a comprehensive score report that clearly shows individual strengths and areas for development across reasoning, language comprehension, and numerical thinking.
Learners consistently point to the value of this feedback. Peter, an Alison Graduate from Kenya, describes the aptitude tests as a helpful starting point for exploring career options, understanding strengths, and identifying areas for further development. Similarly, Ashley, an Alison Graduate from the United States, highlights that the test helped her recognise both the areas where she excels and those that need improvement, making the experience “very informative all around”.
Based on test results, Alison also recommends relevant courses tailored to help Learners strengthen weaker areas before retaking assessments. This allows Learners to apply targeted learning, improve their performance over time, and build a more comprehensive report that reflects both progress and capability. The resulting report can be shared alongside job applications, providing employers with clearer evidence of ability beyond a CV and helping Learners approach recruitment processes with greater clarity.
Making Career Readiness More Accessible
Alison’s Abstract Reasoning Test is part of a broader set of free career development tools designed to help professionals transition from learning to employment with confidence. The platform’s suite of Aptitude Tests is part of a wider range of free psychometric assessments, including a Workplace Personality and Mental Health Assessment, giving Learners a more comprehensive understanding of their skills, preferences, and working style.
Together, these tools reflect a growing shift towards more transparent, skills-based hiring and a more prepared candidate pool.
Ends
Resources
Alongside its Verbal, Numerical, and Abstract Reasoning Tests, Alison offers a range of free professional tools to guide and support Learners throughout their career, including a Career Ready Plan, Career Guide, Resumé Builder, and an English Language Proficiency Test.
Learning is accessible on both desktop and mobile, with the Alison App enabling seamless syncing.
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About Alison
Alison is a global leader in free online learning and skills development. With over 50 million registered Learners across 193 countries (as of October 2025), Alison empowers individuals, communities, and organisations to upskill quickly and effectively – at zero cost.
The Alison platform provides immediate access to over 6,000 free, CPD-accredited courses, covering essential areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Project Management, Business Operations, Healthcare and Sustainability. Courses are created by a mix of independent experts and global leaders, including IBM, Stanford and Microsoft.
For organisations, Alison offers a Free Learning Management System (LMS) that enables unlimited Learners to access thousands of courses with no upfront cost. A premium version with advanced analytics and customisation is also available. Alison's offering includes a full suite of assessments and psychometric tools, including a Workplace Personality Assessment, Mental Health & Wellbeing Assessment, English Language Proficiency Test, as well as Numeracy, Verbal, and Abstract Reasoning tests.
To further support career development, Learners also gain access to a Career Guide, a Resumé Builder, and the ability to study offline through the Alison App.
In 2026, Alison will launch a Global Recruitment Service to directly connect skilled, motivated Learners with hiring employers. The platform is also expanding its reach with multilingual versions, starting with complete Spanish, French, and Hindi offerings — reaffirming its mission to make education accessible to anyone, anywhere.
Founded in 2007, Alison pioneered the concept of free, large-scale online learning and is recognised as the world’s first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platform. Today, its mission continues: to break down barriers to learning, helping people gain skills, build confidence, and improve their lives — no matter where they live or what they earn.
