Anyone interested in sharpening their computer skills?
Affordable Computer Training Now Available to Corporations and Web Partners
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Ziff-Davis (NYSE: ZD) today unveiled a significantly enhanced version of ZD University ( zdu.com ) in response to the growing demand across all industries for affordable, convenient computer training. ZD University, or ZDU, now offers a free trial, wider course selection, self-study tutorials, and new programs that allow ZDU to better serve companies and partners who want to provide low-cost computer training to their employees and customers. A pioneer in bringing instructor-led e-training to the Web, ZDU has proven to be a popular concept with the Internet community, having provided cutting-edge computer skills training to more than 100,000 people since launching in 1996.
The new ZDU has been re-built from the ground up to support the demands of the growing Internet population looking for ways to keep pace with technology. ZDU's affordable price of only $4.95 a month allows time-pressed computer professionals to take as many classes as they want at their convenience.
Most significant among ZDU's new features and enhancements is the ability to enroll large groups of students. Now organizations of any size can take advantage of a new, low-cost training alternative and train their workforce efficiently and effectively without losing significant employee productivity. For businesses or Web partners who want to provide Web-based training to their customers, ZDU can now offer co-branding, special pricing, membership incentives, and other partner programs.
Web-Based Training Takes Off
The landscape for distance learning is growing at a tremendous rate, especially in the area of Internet, or Web-based training. According to recent reports from International Data Corporation (IDC), the U.S. market for Web-based training generated $197 million in revenue in 1997. By the year 2002, that figure will catapult to an astounding $6 billion, representing a compound annual growth rate of nearly 95%. Additionally, in light of the enormous growth in today's digital economy overall, both the U.S. Labor Department and the Department of Commerce project an alarming IT skills gap among workers over the next 10 years.
Ellen Julian, Senior Analyst, IDC, described the boom market of Web-based training as "one of the most dramatic growth industries in existence today, showing clear signs for long-term viability. The impact of Web-based training on education is evident in the marketplace. In fact, our research indicates a huge shift in distribution vehicles from current market options and hybrid approaches in IT training to a uniquely Web-based delivery that will be the norm in the not-so-distant future."
"The online learning revolution is exploding, and we're in the hot seat," said Bill Rosenthal, President, ZDU. "In the past, outside of the traditional classroom, the alternative choices for IT training were mostly cumbersome CD-ROMs or other prohibitively expensive or late-to-market training solutions. Now, with juggernaut Internet technology literally redefining communication as we know it, it's clear what an extraordinary potential the Net represents for education. ZDU's mission has always been to create an environment for learning cutting-edge topics in a way that actually brings live people together, even if they're thousands of miles and a few time zones apart."
Other notable enhancements to the site include the addition of self-study e-training. For those who prefer to learn solo, ZDU has added non-instructor-led tutorials in popular software titles including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and others. The addition of the self-study tutorials expands ZDU's already extensive course catalog of leading-edge classes to over 67. Another new feature of the site is the addition of a one-week free trial. Now anyone interested in ZDU can attend classes to get a feel for the level of instruction and how it works.
About ZD University
ZD University (ZDU) is the leading site for computer skills training via the Internet, and has trained more than 100,000 students since its 1996 launch on the World Wide Web. A pioneer in bringing instructor-led training to the Internet, ZDU offers courses and tutorials in cutting-edge computing topics such as HTML, Java, Visual Basic, Web design, C++, Windows NT, Photoshop, Internet advertising, as well as tutorials in popular desktop applications including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Access Outlook and more. ZDU is found on the Web at zdu.com.
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