SkillSoft Highlights the Business Benefits of e-Learning in High-Growth Companies

In-depth Report Features Success Strategies for Six Organizations Including Apotex, CGI, Global Engineering, Kohl's, KAO Brands and Zaxby's

NASHUA, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

SkillSoft PLC (Nasdaq: SKIL), a leading SaaS provider of e-learning and performance support solutions for global enterprises, government, education and small to medium-sized businesses, today released an in-depth research report detailing the successful learning strategies of high-growth companies including how they deliver fast and effective learning throughout their organizations.

High-growth companies include large national or global enterprises that experience consistent expansion and workforces that have grown at a double-digit rate each year for the past three years. The 38-page report, written by independent analyst firm Bersin & Associates, profiles organizations at different stages in implementing and using learning technologies, and validates the concept that high-growth companies leverage learning technology significantly more when compared against companies across all industries and organization sizes.

"The benefit that high-growth companies gain by implementing learning strategies and technologies is consistently beating the competition and maintaining their competitive edge in the marketplace," said John Ambrose, Senior Vice President of Strategy, Corporate Development & Emerging Business for SkillSoft. "SkillSoft is able to solve learning challenges by helping organizations create an agile mindset to deliver fast and effective training."

"As a high-growth company, we understand the importance of e-learning to attract and retain great professionals and to provide clients with innovative solutions and exceptional service," said Patrick Cowan, Vice President of the Leadership Institute at CGI. "By leveraging SkillSoft's e-learning solutions, we integrate and align our learning objectives and offerings from across the company, which in turn helps us be a world-class IT services leader."

    Key findings in the high-growth companies report include:

    --  Learning Technology Enables Growth - High-growth companies
        show a significantly greater utilization of learning
        technologies when compared to all other companies

    --  Learning and Development Is a Key Business Investment -
        High-growth companies see investing in resources to develop
        new management and professional talent as a top priority

    --  Governance Drives Alignment with Business Goals - Paying
        attention to governance is essential for making effective and
        well-informed decisions in a fast-paced environment

    --  Leverage Best Practices to Progress through e-Learning
        Maturity Stages - Training leaders must anticipate the
        challenges they will face as e-learning becomes more deeply
        integrated into the organization

"This report validates that aggressive implementation of e-learning can help a company execute an aggressive growth strategy," said Josh Bersin, president of Bersin and Associates, the only research and advisory firm solely focused on What Works(R) in enterprise learning and talent management. "SkillSoft is a leader in providing companies the e-learning tools and learning strategies to facilitate rapid business growth, fill critical talent gaps and help align activities with business goals."

    Click here to download the complete SkillSoft report.

    About SkillSoft

SkillSoft PLC (Nasdaq: SKIL) 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.

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 18,000 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) 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 and Dialogue are trademarks or registered trademarks of SkillSoft PLC in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, countries.

Source: SkillSoft PLC

Released July 8, 2008