Skillsoft Expands Technology Skilling Solution as 80 percent of C-Suite IT Leaders Report Workforce Skills Gaps

DENVER (July 12, 2023) — Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL), a leading platform for transformative learning experiences, today announced significant enhancements to its technology skilling solution, now branded as Codecademy. Through an expanded content library of over 6,000 courses covering the most in-demand technology skills, new interactive learning and practice formats, and access to more than 500 Skill Benchmarks to assess, index, and track workforce skills development, Skillsoft’s enhanced Codecademy enterprise solution enables organizations to close skills gaps and harness the potential of new and emerging technologies, like generative AI, to drive growth.

These enhancements come at a time when IT leaders struggle most with talent recruitment, talent retention, and skills gaps, according to Skillsoft’s C-Suite Perspective report, released concurrently today. Eighty percent of C-level IT leaders surveyed report workforce skills gaps and nearly 70% experience difficulties with hiring qualified talent. Within cybersecurity and AI – the highest-priority areas of investment for IT executives, respectively – these technology skills and talent shortages are even more pronounced. Skillsoft’s report found that C-level IT leaders consider cybersecurity the most difficult area to hire for, while nearly 60% rank their teams’ AI skills as low or somewhat low.

“At a time of profound and rapid technology innovation, it is imperative for IT leaders to be proactive about building the digital skills needed for future growth and long-term business success, including areas like AI,” said Apratim Purakayastha, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Skillsoft. “Through Skillsoft’s Codecademy enterprise solution, we are providing businesses the most comprehensive and effective way to develop in-house technology skills, harness transformative technologies like generative AI, and as a result, build a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced digital economy.”

Skillsoft’s report shows that C-level IT leaders are two times more likely to upskill and reskill existing employees than hire additional staff to close skills gaps. To meet the demand for technology skills, Codecademy’s enterprise solution now includes:

- Expanded content library: The enhanced Codecademy enterprise solution combines Skillsoft’s robust catalog of technology content with Codecademy’s signature interactive courses, covering essential domains and functions ranging from web development and cybersecurity to natural language processing and AI. The full curriculum is developed in partnership with subject matter experts and authorized partners, including AWS, IBM, and Cisco, providing in-depth, relevant content designed to help businesses and individuals thrive.

- New Aspire Journeys: Offering more than 30 new interactive Aspire Journeys across AI, web development, data science, and other high-priority technology domains and programming languages, the Codecademy enterprise solution blends hands-on learning with on-demand video content. These journeys provide flexible, multi-modal learning experiences designed to meet employee needs, accelerate skills proficiency, and drive business growth.

- Increased interactivity and product features: Enterprise learners will access more interactive learning features, including hands-on lessons, quizzes, and more than 500 new labs for practicing coding skills. The solution also includes access to a full range of product features – including badging, reporting, and Skill Benchmarks – providing an end-to-end technology training solution for leaders to identify skills gaps, measure learner progress, and build personalized plans for continuous skills development and improvement.

“Through a wider range of content, learning modalities, and features, the enhanced Codecademy enterprise solution allows us to meet the unique and diverse training needs of technology teams today,” said Adam Goldman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Skillsoft’s Codecademy enterprise business. “We believe that flexible, hands-on training and learning-by-doing is the most effective way for workers to build technology skills, enabling them to discover their full potential and drive meaningful growth for their organization.”

For more information on Skillsoft’s Codecademy enterprise solution, please visit here. Download Skillsoft’s C-Suite Perspective report here.

Report Methodology

Skillsoft’s 2022 IT Skills and Salary Survey was conducted online from May to August 2022 using the Qualtrics XM Platform. Skillsoft and technology companies distributed survey invitations to professionals around the world. The survey was made available in web articles, online newsletters, and social media. After cleaning the data, the survey yielded a total of 7,952 complete responses from IT decision-makers and staff.

The C-Suite Perspective report uses a subset of this data, focusing on 213 tech professionals who listed their role as a C-level executive, including CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, and CEOs. The report presents the survey results contributed by these 213 participants.

About Skillsoft

Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL) delivers transformative learning experiences that propel organizations and people to grow together. The Company partners with enterprise organizations and serves a global community of learners to prepare today’s employees for tomorrow’s economy. With Skillsoft, customers gain access to blended, multimodal learning experiences that do more than build skills, they grow a more capable, adaptive, and engaged workforce. Through a portfolio of best-in-class content, a platform that is personalized and connected to customer needs, world-class tech and a broad ecosystem of partners, Skillsoft drives continuous growth and performance for employees and their organizations by overcoming critical skill gaps and unlocking human potential.