Pluralsight is an online education company that provides a subscription-based platform for professional tech training and skill development. They offer a wide range of video courses, learning paths, skill assessments, and hands-on labs for individuals and businesses. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Pluralsight Chief Product & Technology Officer Chris McClellen to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What is your background? McClellen said:
Pluralsight: (Chris): I have more than two decades of experience leading product and technology teams through digital transformation and growth strategy initiatives. Before joining Pluralsight, I served as the Chief Technology Officer for several noteworthy technology companies, including Avantax, Blucora, and BoomTown. I have also served as an SVP, Digital Technology Officer, and SVP, Systems Engineering at The Weather Channel, where I led technology, strategy, and implementation across web, mobile, and data services.
As Chief Product & Technology Officer at Pluralsight, I am responsible for driving innovation across the Pluralsight platform, the ultimate goal being to enable consumers and businesses to transform with technology skills. I also elevate employee performance, improve customer experiences, and deliver top-quality results as a transformational technology leader.
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What are the company’s core products and features?
Pluralsight: (Chris): Pluralsight is an online learning and workforce development platform that offers tech professionals 6,500+ tech courses, 500+ skill assessments, 3,500+ hands-on labs, and 150+ certification paths to help individuals and businesses acquire new skills to advance their careers.
Thousands of companies, government organizations, and individuals around the world rely on Pluralsight to support critical technology skill development in areas that are crucial to innovation, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, software development, and machine learning. Pluralsight provides highly curated content developed by vetted technology experts, industry-leading skill assessments, and hands-on, immersive learning experiences designed to help individuals skill up faster.
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones?
Pluralsight: (Chris): We are trusted by 70% of the Fortune 500 companies, have 22,000 business customers across the globe, operate in 180 countries, and have over 2,000 employees supporting our customers.
Pluralsight Skills was named as Best Education Software for 2024 by G2, we were recognized by TIME as one of the world’s top edtech companies in 2024, and won the 2024 Great Places to Work Certification in India.
In 2024, we also launched some innovative solutions that help organizations and individuals to personalize their learning journeys and master their skills, including the launch of AI sandboxes, AI assistant Iris, and new cybersecurity courses.
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What differentiates the company from its competition?
Pluralsight: (Chris): Tech skills generally have a 2.5-year lifespan, leaving 85 million jobs unfilled due to massive skills gaps. However, individuals looking to elevate their tech learning can use Pluralsight’s online learning platform, where they have the opportunity to learn from real experts, with 91% of our course authors being backed by at least 10 years of experience in their field. Pluralsight offers new skills in 3,000+ interactive labs and AI or cloud sandboxes to give individuals hands-on practice to take their careers to the next level. With Fortune 500 companies and more than 22,000 businesses relying on Pluralsight to accelerate business initiatives, Pluralsight is transforming tech teams to work more efficiently and effectively.
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What are some of the company’s future goals?
Pluralsight: (Chris): We want to help the world harness the full potential of technology. Our mission is to democratize technology skills and make sure individuals and businesses aren’t left in the dust when their skills become outdated or obsolete. Our goal for the future is to continue helping tech professionals keep up with the latest tech trends by identifying knowledge gaps, aligning tech learning to organizational initiatives and personal career goals, building skills to transform their organizations, and validating skills with assessments, certification practice exams, and hands-on practice labs.
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): Any other topics you would like to discuss?
Pluralsight: (Chris): Engineers are most directly affected by the rapid change in technology. Because of this, it’s necessary for leadership to motivate teams during times of change and establish learning cultures that promote upskilling so no tech professional gets left behind. By leveraging tailored instructor-led, on-demand learning programs and real-life coding scenarios, businesses can empower their employees to close skills gaps and work together effectively.
