SkillSoft Announces Availability of Hundreds of One Hour Business Skills Courses in 14 Languages

Most Popular One Hour Courses Localized to Help Organizations Meet their Global Training Needs

NASHUA, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SkillSoft, a leading SaaS provider of e-learning and performance support solutions for global enterprises, government, education and small to medium-sized businesses, announced the availability of over 730 newly localized one-hour business skills courses offered in 14 different languages. Today's announcement marks the completion of SkillSoft's most significant localization initiative and builds upon its ongoing efforts to offer global organizations the learning assets needed to meet business demands. The new one-hour online courses, which span SkillSoft's most popular professional development titles, are available in a variety of languages including Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Indian English, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Polish, Russian, Spanish and Turkish.

SkillSoft translates courseware into a wide range of languages, currently offering over 2000 localized business courses. With the completion of this recent initiative, SkillSoft has expanded its learning portfolio to provide global organizations access to a series of new, shorter-length business skills courses that enable users to quickly garner essential on-the-job skills. The targeted one-hour business courses are an effective tool to improve employee performance and to enhance overall business productivity.

"Learning is an integral part of global business today, as it enables organizations to respond to changes more effectively and retain their competitive advantage," said Lee Ritze, SkillSoft senior vice president of marketing. "By extending our localized courseware options for global organizations, we're giving them the tools they need to reach a broader audience and keep pace in the global economy."

SkillSoft began offering one-hour business skills courseware in 2009 in response to their customers' request for shorter, subject-specific and more engaging training content. Since then, the one-hour course model has been applied to many titles in the business skills collection, providing users more targeted subject matter in less time. Courses localized in the one-hour format were selected based on results from SkillSoft's annual content survey, in which clients asked SkillSoft to produce new content for some of its most popular business skills subjects, including: leadership, interpersonal communication, customer service, coaching and managing change.

SkillSoft's localized courses go beyond straight translation, as the company works with several partners to effectively adapt content so that it is contextually relevant in each international market. While overall learning objectives remain consistent, elements of the courses differ to account for cultural nuances and business style. SkillSoft's next project includes localized versions of Office 2010 learning content.

One-hour business skills courses are available through SkillPort, SkillSoft's learning management system, which provides organizations the ability to deploy e-learning solutions globally, offering support for SkillSoft's full library of localized courseware. Alternatively, these courses can be easily integrated into other learning platforms via SkillSoft's Open Learning Services Architecture (OLSA), or installed directly into customers' own learning management systems, giving customers the flexibility to choose the deployment option that best meets their needs.

About SkillSoft

SkillSoft is a leading SaaS provider of on-demand e-learning and performance support solutions for global enterprises, government, education and small to medium-sized businesses. SkillSoft enables business organizations to maximize business performance through a combination of comprehensive e- learning content, online information resources, flexible learning technologies and support services. SkillSoft is on the web at http://www.skillsoft.com.

Content offerings include business, IT, desktop, compliance and consumer/SMB courseware collections, as well as complementary content assets such as Leadership Development Channel video products, KnowledgeCenter(TM) portals, virtual instructor-led training services and online mentoring services. SkillSoft's Books24x7(R) product offering includes access to more than 25,000 digitized IT and business books, as well as book summaries and executive reports. Technology offerings include the SkillPort(R) learning management system, Search-and-Learn(R), SkillSoft(R) Dialogue(TM), inGenius(TM) and virtual classroom.

SkillSoft courseware content described herein is for information purposes only and is subject to change without notice. SkillSoft has no obligation or commitment to develop or deliver any future release, upgrade, feature, enhancement or function described in this press release except as specifically set forth in a written agreement.

SkillSoft, the SkillSoft logo, SkillPort, Search-and-Learn, SkillChoice, Books24x7, ITPro, BusinessPro, OfficeEssentials, GovEssentials, EngineeringPro, FinancePro, AnalystPerspectives, ExecSummaries, ExecBlueprints, Express Guide, Dialogue and inGenius are trademarks or registered trademarks of SkillSoft Limited in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, countries.

    Source: SkillSoft

Released September 21, 2010