Pearson begins layoffs in Corridor

Pearson has begun staff reductions in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Corridor, part of a plan to cut 4,000 jobs, or 10 percent of its workforce worldwide, over the next year.

The British educational publishing company employs about 1,400 between its Cedar Rapids and Iowa City operations. Laura Howe, Pearson spokesperson, said the company will not release specific layoff numbers by location.

'Out of respect for all of our employees, it wouldn't be appropriate to discuss the number of job cuts in a specific location before we inform our employees across the rest of our workforce,” Howe said in a statement released Tuesday.

'Our employees in Iowa have a long, proud history of serving students, parents and educators across the state and around the nation. We are committed to supporting those affected employees during this difficult transition period.”

Pearson Chief Executive John Fallon, in comments to Reuters on Jan. 21, said problems in its markets, such as fewer people in the United States going to college, had been more pronounced and had lasted longer than expected.

'We are taking immediate and decisive action to simplify the company, integrate operations and cut costs, all with the aim of getting Pearson growing again,” Fallon said. 'I am very confident that we've made the right strategic calls and that will show so over time.”

Pearson has said the restructuring will involve combining divisions, such as its school testing and professional testing divisions in North America, to reduce back office costs.