ICS Learn

ICS Learn courses are accredited by a number of internationally recognised, industry-leading awarding bodies, including:

• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)
• AQA & Edexcel
• British Computer Society (BCS)
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS)
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
• Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM)
• PeopleCert (PRINCE2®)
• The London Institute of Banking & Finance (LIBF)

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[[File:Glimpses of the largest educational institution in the world, the International Correpondence Schools, Scranton, Pa (1904) (14770533544).jpg|thumb|The building of the International Correspondence Schools

erected at the St. Louis Worlds Fair.]]

ICS Learn traces its origins back to 1889, when journalist Thomas J. Foster founded the Colliery Engineer School of Mines in Scranton, Pennsylvania. At the time, mining accidents were alarmingly common, and Foster, a seasoned journalist, had previously heavily advocated for safer working conditions, leading to Pennsylvania's adoption of the Mine Safety Act of 1885, which required miners to pass a safety exam to continue working.

In order to help miners pass this test, Foster began an advice column in The Mining Herald answering mine safety questions. However, unsatisfied with the outcome, he quickly recognised the need for accessible education, and soon established a distance learning institution to help miners and other workers gain the necessary knowledge—without having to leave their jobs to do so.{{Cite journal |title="Education for Success": The International Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Pennsylvania |url=https://journals.psu.edu/pmhb/article/viewFile/45108/44829 |journal=The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography |volume=CXX |issue=4 (October 1996)}}

Thomas Coates of Peckville, Pennsylvania, was the first enrolled student of ICS. He enrolled in the complete coal mining course on October 16, 1891. He advanced steadily with the Delaware and Hudson Coal Company in Plymouth, Pennsylvania, and eventually became the mine's superintendent.Scranton Times Newspaper May 2, 1902

The institution grew rapidly, eventually becoming International Correspondence Schools (ICS). Its revolutionary approach—sending course materials directly to students—made education more accessible than ever. By designing textbooks in clear, practical language, ICS enabled people from all walks of life to develop new skills, advance their careers, and improve their prospects.

By 1984, ICS enrolled 3,000 new students and, with the creation of a sales force, matriculated approximately 100,000 new students annually in the early 1900s.{{Cite book |last=Kett |first=Joseph F. |title=Pursuit of Knowledge Under Difficulties: From Self-Improvement to Adult Education in America |year=1996 |pages=236–8}} By 1900, 1 in 27 Americans had taken a correspondence course with ICS. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography states that it is "by far the largest single educational institution in America’s history".

As industrialisation surged, ICS expanded its offerings to include mathematics, engineering, office management, architecture, and even dog grooming. Millions of immigrants and workers across the United States used ICS courses to upskill and secure better opportunities.

Finally, in 1904, ICS expanded to the United Kingdom, where it evolved into ICS Learn—now known as one of the UK’s leading providers of flexible, 100% online qualifications. Today, ICS Learn remains committed to its founding vision: providing simple, flexible, and affordable education that empowers learners to succeed in the constantly evolving professional landscape.

Foster remained the president of ICS until his death in 1936 at age 93.

The US branch, known as Penn Foster Career School, is not connected to ICS Learn.

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• {{Official|https://www.icslearn.co.uk }}
• [http://www.pennfoster.edu Penn Foster Career School (US)]
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20191019044617/http://www.icsarchive.org/ The ICS Archive. Lists of ICS materials, short history, copyright information, and selected course materials.]}}
• [http://www.scranton.edu/academics/wml/bk-manuscripts/ics-aid.shtml International Correspondence Schools of Scranton, History 1891 to the Present]

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Category:Distance education institutions based in the United States

Category:Educational organizations established in 1890

Category:1890 establishments in Scotland