Skillsoft and Ellevate Network Partner to Empower Women+ Whose Careers Have Been Disrupted Due to COVID-19

NEW YORK & BOSTON , September 23 /Businesswire/ - Skillsoft Corp. (NYSE: SKIL) a global leader in corporate digital learning, will announce today at their annual Perspectives event, a partnership with Ellevate Network to support women+ whose careers and employment have been adversely affected by COVID-19. Ellevate, the largest coalition for women+, gives women, non-binary people, and male allies safe spaces to be honest about work and get validation, perspective, and actionable advice.

According to the International Labor Organization, between 2019 and 2020, 4.2 percent of women’s employment was eliminated as a result of the pandemic, a loss of 54 million jobs. As economic recovery continues, industry and occupational shifts are predicted to have a greater impact on women, requiring new training and more drastic career transitions to re-enter the workforce. Ellevate Network launched their EllevateHER Forward Fellowship Program in 2020 to help accelerate women’s return to the workforce, which has to date granted 500 women who may otherwise be unable to access or afford Ellevate’s resources with membership to the network. Skillsoft will be a key Sponsor of the 2022 EllevateHER Fellowship Program.

Selected fellows will gain access to Ellevate’s programs for entrepreneurs, managers, career changers, rising leaders, and senior executives. The programs include access to local community groups, two 12-week online mentoring Squads, weekly Roundtables, Ellevate’s annual Mobilize Women Week Summit, and ongoing peer support. All 250 fellows will receive access to Skillsoft’s Percipio learning platform and its vast catalog of learning resources to help these women sharpen their existing skill set and equip themselves with future-fit skills required for the roles of tomorrow.

“At Ellevate, we’ve mobilized to action in an effort to combat the exodus of women from the workforce as we’re currently experiencing the lowest number of women in the workplace since 1988,” said Kristy Wallace, CEO, Ellevate Network. “In launching the EllevateHER Forward Fellowship Program, our goal was to accelerate the post-pandemic recovery plan and advancement of women in the workforce. With Skillsoft’s partnership, we will be able to provide our community of fellows with critical learning resources that will empower them to take their vision or career goal and make it a reality.”

The application for 2022 fellows will open mid-next year. Recipients will include, but are not limited to, women laid off due to COVID-19, veterans, women going through a career transition, and those for whom the cost of membership would be a financial strain.

“At Skillsoft, we believe the power of learning can be transformative in helping women reskill and re-enter the workforce,” said Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, CMO, Skillsoft. “Learning provides invaluable tools to help lift women up, rebound, and regain influence, power, and capital. We remain committed to equipping un- and underemployed women with the skills needed to succeed in today’s economy and believe that the EllevateHER Forward Fellowship Program, with learning, empowerment, and allyship as foundational principles, can have a tangible impact on the lives and careers of incoming fellows.”

For women and their allies seeking additional resources on reskilling or re-entering the workforce, visit www.ellevatenetwork.com and www.skillsoft.com/blog/theres-nothing-pretty-about-the-pink-pandemic.

Additionally, Skillsoft is offering all interested learners 30 days of free access to Percipio so they can experience firsthand Skillsoft’s next-generation learning platform and extensive course library.

About Ellevate Network

Ellevate Network is the largest community of women+ at work. A powerful coalition of ambitious and supportive women+, Ellevate is built on the premise of showing up and helping each other — no matter their background or aspirations — build a career they love. Together, they mobilize their collective power to change the culture of business. Ellevate’s programs create safe spaces for members to speak honestly about work, so they can get better feedback, support, and ideas from people who’ve been through the same challenges. Ellevate also works with companies committed to diversity and inclusion and has a proven track record of changing business culture from the inside out.

About Skillsoft

Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL) is a global leader in corporate digital learning, focused on transforming today’s workforce for tomorrow’s economy. The Company provides enterprise learning solutions designed to prepare organizations for the future of work, overcome critical skill gaps, drive demonstrable behavior-change, and unlock the potential in their people. Skillsoft offers a comprehensive suite of premium, original, and authorized partner content, including one of the broadest and deepest libraries of leadership & business skills, technology & developer, and compliance curricula. With access to a broad spectrum of learning options (including video, audio, books, bootcamps, live events, and practice labs), organizations can meaningfully increase learner engagement and retention. Skillsoft’s offerings are delivered through Percipio, its award-winning, AI-driven, immersive learning platform purpose built to make learning easier, more accessible, and more effective. Learn more at www.skillsoft.com.

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