Skillsoft Goes Public: Three Things to Know

by Jim Lundy 

Skillsoft went public this week, and while it still has the same name there’s a little bit more to the story than just going public. This blog examines three things about the new Skillsoft that many overlooked.

Skillsoft Is Now Public: What Does that Mean?

Skillsoft is one of the most traded assets in all of human capital management. The most recent IPO was done via a SPAC and it brings together Skillsoft with its subsidiary SumTotal, and the merger with Global Knowledge, which is known for its on-premise training capabilities. This means that Skillsoft is well-poised to address the demands for learning from a content perspective, whether it be digital or in the classroom.

While there certainly will be challenges for CEO Jeff Tarr in balancing both go to market businesses, the market opportunity for learning content is large. Aragon estimated at over $550 Billion by 2026.

Skillsoft Has Original Content—Others Just Resell It

While Degreed has made huge inroads into many companies, it is really a contact aggregator. Skillsoft has a large volume of its own curated training contact and maintains this repository along with delivery options that make Skillsoft one to watch.

Skillsoft—What It Does with SumTotal Systems

SumTotal is a complete talent engagement platform that offers all of the talent management modules. There is some overlap with Skillsoft on learning management. However, based on its own capabilities and its value there could be a future for SumTotal within Skillsoft.

Bottom Line: Future Is Bright for Skillsoft

Skillsoft is now a publicly traded company, it has a large addressable market and has an experience management team. All of these things bode well for the future and we expect to see even more demand for learning content as employee engagement heats up in a hybrid work environment.