LinkedIn is making its way into the education market with its latest purchase of the online learning site Lynda.com.
The online professional networking service announced Thursday that it was purchasing the learning company for $1.5 billion in an effort to connect job seekers with the education and skills needed to advance their career
opportunities. Lynda.com was founded in 1995 by computer expert, author and entrepreneur Lynda Weinman and her husband Bruce Heavin. The online learning resource teaches on a range of subjects like Photoshop, basic HTML, CSS, management practices and more, while also offering instructional videos and tutorials from industry experts.[Related: 33 Actionable Tips for Promoting Your Business on LinkedIn]
In a blog post announcing the deal, LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner talked about how the acquisition of Lynda.com will help his company move forward in helping its users connect the dots between the job they want and the skills they need.
“When I look at lynda.com’s platform, I see a best-in-class collection of high-quality, premium content that is focused on professional skills – hundreds of thousands of videos, comprising thousands of full courses – that make it possible for anybody to easily and effectively acquire a skill needed to get their first job, get a promotion, land a business deal or advance their career,” wrote Weiner. “The combination of LinkedIn and lynda.com is the kind of fit that benefits everyone.”
The deal is expected close sometime later this year, with Lynda.com remaining open for business and accessible to users as the two companies work on what comes next in the agreement.