Company: Pluralsight, Farmington, UT
Entry Submitted By:Method Communications
Company Description: Founded in 2004, Pluralsight is the global leader in online learning for serious software developers, IT specialists and creative professionals. As the world’s largest curated e-learning library for professionals, the company offers instant access to more than 3,000 courses authored by top experts. With customers in more than 195 countries, Pluralsight serves as a career catalyst.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Most Innovative Tech Company of the Year - Up to 2,500 Employees

Nomination Title: 2014: A Paramount Year for Pluralsight

Tell the story about what this nominated organization has achieved since January 1 2014 (up to 650 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms.

Pluralsight, a global leader in online training for technology professionals, achieved triple-digit growth in 2014 and evolved its business from online education into a platform for professionals to improve their skillsets and prove their value to employers. This forward-thinking approach to online education has allowed Pluralsight to capture market share from the competition, serving both the seasoned technology professional and the budding innovator.

In October 2014, Pluralsight acquired skills assessment company Smarterer. Together, Pluralsight and Smarterer are creating a more advanced and credible industry standard for skills measurement, one by which individuals and enterprises may quantify and authenticate skill sets against current demands to unlock new professional opportunities. Such a standard will provide a clearer representation of employee capabilities and company talent gaps, greatly aiding all types of companies in their hiring and recruiting, learning and development and workforce management efforts. It will also empower individuals to clearly and credibly present their skill sets to potential employers.

In addition to its refined strategy, Pluralsight’s rapid-response production model sets it apart from the competition, by bringing courses on new trends in software development and creative tech faster than any other company in the industry.

A first-class network of course authors provides learners with high quality, relevant and timely content. With more than 650 expert instructors (and counting), Pluralsight releases 70-80 new courses each month. Because authors are esteemed authorities in their fields and deeply involved in the maturing trends of their industries, they are often privy to information about new technologies before they are made public. This allows Pluralsight to publish courses explaining new products immediately upon release.

Pluralsight believes there are three critical pillars in technology training: IT infrastructure, software development and creative skills. To deliver a perfect trifecta of today’s most innovative and relevant technology education, Pluralsight acquired Digital Tutors in the spring of 2014, expanding its library to include professional front-end web and interactive training. The new creative web training continues to address the growing need for companies and design professionals looking to create seamless and memorable web experiences. In 2014, as a result of the acquisition and of freshly published courses, Pluralsight’s online library grew by more than 2000 courses (1,500 to 3,500+), a 233 percent increase from 2013.

With 750,000 learners in more than 150 countries, Pluralsight serves as a career catalyst, delivering hands-on, practical training for the most in-demand and understaffed jobs of today. By providing a solution that is cost effective, flexible and scalable, Pluralsight also helps enterprises remain relevant, providing training to keep their technical professionals up-to-date on the most innovative tech developments of today. Pluralsight’s enterprise sales more than doubled in 2014, adding clients such as Ernst & Young, Esurance, Humana, NBC Universal Time Warner and VIACOM.

Pluralsight’s innovative model has attracted the attention of venture capitalists around the nation. In August 2014, Pluralsight raised $135 million in a minority round Series B funding, one of Utah’s largest private rounds to date.

Pluralsight believes in igniting innovation in the next generation of coders, and has engaged in various partnerships to benefit schools and children. In August 2014, it announced a first-of-its-kind initiative with the Utah Stem Action Center and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to support K-12 teachers throughout the state. The $5 million donation gave Utah educators a free one-year subscription to the company’s online training library, allowing teachers to become versed on the knowledge that will help their students become career-ready and fill the tech talent gap.

In November, Pluralsight partnered with non-profit LaunchCode to help solve US employment challenges. Co-founded by Square's Jim McKelvey, LaunchCode helps unemployed and underemployed candidates secure apprenticeships and jobs in technology. The partnership will give LaunchCode participants access to Pluralsight’s training library, empowering program participants with the hard skills and resources they need to excel and secure long-term job offers. Pluralsight will also help LaunchCode’s St. Louis program expand throughout the nation.

In bullet-list form, briefly summarize up to ten (10) of the chief accomplishments of this organization since the beginning of 2014 (up to 150 words).

• The company is on track to achieve triple-digit growth in 2014.
• Pluralsight acquired innovative skills assessment company Smarterer, paving the way for the creation of an industry standard. This will aid enterprises in workforce planning and training, as well as individual portfolio-building.
• A total of more than 2,000 new courses were added, providing training to technology professionals in IT infrastructure, software development and creative work.
• A growing roster of enterprises utilizes Pluralsight training to keep their employees up-to-date with today’s most relevant technologies, including Avanade, BMW Manufacturing – Americas, Ernst & Young, Esurance, Humana, NBC Universal Time Warner and VIACOM.
• Pluralsight raised $135 million in a minority round Series B funding, one of Utah’s largest private rounds to date.
• Creative philanthropy: $5 million, first-of-its kind partnership with Utah Education department, and partnering with non-profit LaunchCode to help solve U.S. employment challenges.

Of the following types of innovation, which ONE do you want the judges to most appreciate about your organization's story of achievement since the beginning of 2014?

Overall Innovation