Dive Brief:
- LinkedIn announced Thursday its plans to acquire lynda.com in a $1.5 billion cash-and-stock deal.
- Lynda.com's courses are focused on adults wishing to improve business, technology, and creative skills, and Reuters reports that the acquisition will allow LinkedIn to show what skills are needed for particular jobs listed on its social network.
- The deal, according to Reuters, is expected to give LinkedIn's lucrative hiring business an additional boost.
Dive Insight:
With the deal expected to allow LinkedIn to show users what skills are needed for jobs they desire, it's likely that those listings would also now direct jobseekers to the relevant lynda.com course. Integration between the two platforms could ideally also see easy automatic listing of certifications for courses completed and skills gained. However, details for how lynda.com's business model might change with the deal, if at all, are not provided in the article. Subscriptions to the service currently run from $250 to $375 annually, according to Reuters.
The online learning provider has grown from a company that once offered courses via VHS tapes through the mail, to one that provides professionals in many industries with on-demand opportunities to learn new skills.