LinkedIn launches online learning platform to tackle 'ever-shrinking shelf-life of skills'

LinkedIn is hoping to make it easier for businesses and professionals to boost their professional skills, with the launch of LinkedIn Learning.

The company believes that its new platform will help people 'overcome the challenges caused by the ever-shrinking shelf-life of skills', and to do that it has partnered with Lynda.com, an online learning website.

LinkedIn Learning will use content from Lynda.com to provide more than 9000 digital courses, taught by industry experts. LinkedIn bought Lynda.com in 2015.

The company says at least 25 courses a week will be added to the Lynda.com library, so there will be an abundance of content. Courses will cover a range of topics, including business, creative and technical topics.

The platform will enable on-demand learning from any location at any time. The company will also use its members' professional data and existing networks to create personalised recommendations for learners.

In addition, the company will also redesign its desktop website, which is the biggest redesign since the company was formed.

LinkedIn says that the new design will provide a new and more intuitive way to access jobs, insights and information.

Users will also be able to see a better feed, search function, influencer videos and long-form writing, an evolution of content to what the current design can manage.

The company also says that it will be integrating better messaging options wherever users may be on the site, based on a rapid increase (240%) in the number of messages sent. Bot technology will also be able to help schedule meetings and meeting rooms.