Skillsoft Adds Benchmark Assessments to Percipio

Digital learning company Skillsoft launched Skill Benchmark Assessments, a new capability within its Percipio platform. With it, organizations can determine their employees’ proficiency across technology, leadership and business skills, and deliver personalized development paths to assist in learning.

Skill Benchmark Assessments takes a criterion-based approach to assessing skill proficiency. Where traditional assessments compare a learner’s knowledge to the average of other learners, which may not match the level of proficiency each organization requires to be successful.

The new tests measure capabilities against specific objectives, which are defined by subject matter experts. Skillsoft said this approach allows both organizations and learners to determine if they are objectively proficient in certain skill areas and successfully retaining and applying new knowledge in the workplace.

Additional key features of Skill Benchmark Assessments include:

• Skill Benchmark Dashboard: Is used to identify where skill gaps exist across an organization and set a path toward closing them. Admins and managers can view scores and levels for individuals and teams. From there, they can assign specific Benchmark Assessments and training courses to connect learners to careers and competencies.
• The Assessment Experience: After answering curated questions aligned to specific skills, learners are assigned a Benchmark score. Based on this, and with Percipio’s blended learning model, they then receive personalized recommendations that include microlearning lessons, hands-on practice labs, instructor-led training and longer-form curricula. 

Apratim Purakayastha, Skillsoft’s chief technology officer, said that learners often get tangled up because time constraints, irrelevant content and trouble knowing where to start. “An effective path of learning ultimately comes down to the experience,” he said. Skill Benchmark Assessments removes much of the guesswork.

Skillsoft said it offers hundreds of Benchmark Assessments across a variety of technology, developer, leadership and business. Examples include the cloud, security, digital literacy, innovation and creativity, agile methodologies and performance management. The company expects to expand its subject matter even further, including sequences on analytics, digital marketing, virtual leadership and problem-solving.

Separately, Skillsoft said its bookings grew 5% during the fiscal fourth quarter, with revenue reaching $166 million and net income coming in $8 million.

Image: Skillsoft