Kyndryl and Skillsoft expand AI education access to help high school students build future-ready skills. World · SEP 29, 2026 PR Newswire Curriculum equips grades 9-12 students with foundational AI skills, hands-on learning and digital credential opportunities for future careers NEW YORK, Se... Curriculum equips grades 9-12 students with foundational AI skills, hands-on learning and digital credential opportunities for future careers NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Kyndryl (NYSE: KD), a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise technology services, and Skillsoft(R)(NYSE: SKIL), a leading AI-native skills management platform, today announced a collaboration to deliver AI education at no-cost to eligible U.S. high school students and educators. The program supports Kyndryl's commitment to the White House AI education initiative and aims to help prepare the next generation for an AI-driven future. Eligible students and educators will receive access to AI-focused learning content through the Skillsoft Percipio Platform. The program is available to eligible U.S. school districts up to 25,000 student and educator users through May 29, 2027. The curriculum is designed to help students and educators build practical AI skills, from foundational concepts to prompt engineering techniques and the use of AI tools in everyday tasks. These skills are becoming increasingly important as AI continues to change how people learn and work. "Preparing the next generation starts with giving students and educators opportunities to build confidence with the technologies shaping the future," said Raianne Reiss, Chief Marketing Officer, Skillsoft. "Through our work with Kyndryl, we're helping expand access to AI education and making it easier for more people to develop practical skills they can apply in school, at work, and throughout their careers. This is a step toward broadening access to the knowledge and skills people need to succeed as AI adoption continues to grow." "AI is quickly becoming a fundamental skill - not just for future technologists, but for every student preparing to participate in a changing workforce," said Faith Taylor, SVP of Global Citizenship and Sustainability, Kyndryl. "By working with Skillsoft to expand access to practical AI learning pathways, Kyndryl is helping students build confidence, curiosity and responsible digital skills that can open new pathways to opportunity." The program is part of Kyndryl's broader commitment to expanding access to technology education and workforce readiness opportunities, while aligning with Skillsoft's mission to help people develop the skills needed to grow and succeed in a changing world. Program available to eligible U.S. school districts only. Access is provided through Skillsoft Percipio Platform and is limited to up to 25,000 aggregated student and educator users under the current agreement, with the program term ending May 29, 2027. Access and content availability is subject to change. About Skillsoft Skillsoft (NYSE: SKIL) is a global leader in skills management for the human + AI era. The AI-native Skillsoft platform gives organizations a clearer view of workforce capability, helps close critical skill gaps, and supports the connection between skills development and business outcomes. With Skillsoft, organizations can build AI-ready teams, lower the cost and time of workforce development, and reduce execution risk as work continues to change. Thousands of organizations worldwide trust Skillsoft to power workforce readiness. Learn more at skillsoft.com. About Kyndryl Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is a leading provider of mission-critical enterprise technology services, offering advisory, implementation and managed service capabilities to thousands of customers in more than 60 countries. As the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider, the Company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.com. SOURCE Kyndryl Published by News Desk · WeeklyReviewer The WeeklyReviewer news desk monitors breaking developments around the clock - sourcing, verifying, and publishing real-time industry news across business, technology, politics, science, sports, and world affairs. Every story that comes through the Live Wire is reviewed for accuracy before publication, keeping our readers ahead of the curve without the noise.

Delivering a 'Return on Experience' September 18, 2026 Advancing an environment for growth measured in experience translates into improved employee and client experiences. At Optiv, measuring the success of corporate training programs goes far beyond course hours completed and tracking metrics. Instead, Learning and Development leaders evaluate how an expanding roster of educational offerings actively transforms employee behaviors, accelerates career growth and delivers long-term impact across the organization and advances client support. "This year, my focus is ROE, or 'What's the return on the experience?'" explains Keyana Jones, Senior Manager, Learning and Development. "We want to ensure we are building, guiding, and gathering impact, measuring behavioral change, and seeing how employees are actively applying the content we teach." Making learning more experiential. Outcomes are directly shaped by the tools and curricula itself. This year, Optiv integrated CAISY from Skillsoft, an AI-powered simulator, into its learning management platform. It allows employees to roleplay complex situations, such as client negotiations or accountability conversations, and receive real-time, actionable feedback. To reinforce digital learning with human connection, the L&D team in 2026 introduced the monthly Leader in Action series. Formatted like a webcast and drawing dozens of participants, the live program provides a platform for peer-to-peer learning, allowing managers to absorb practical strategies directly from colleagues navigating the same day-to-day work. Turning experience into opportunity. The ultimate measure of Return on Experience is tangible career mobility, best demonstrated by Optiv's expanding Career Pathways program. Reaching nearly 80% of the company, the framework provides clear success profiles that empower employees to own their growth. Supporting the "whole employee" goes beyond professional competencies to include personal wellness, financial literacy and estate planning, and participation in an expanding roster of Employee Resource Groups. "When we think about development of our people, we believe that personal development is just as important as professional development, because they overlap," says Marisa Casalinova, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Optiv talked to two Optiv employees about their returns on experience. Throwing the Rope Back Over If you're fortunate enough to climb the wall and develop your skills as a leader, you have to throw the rope back over to help someone else gain new skills, show them the way and help them level up. I've been with Optiv for 13 years, stepping into a sales leadership role in 2019. Leading a team of 13 people requires a continuous growth mindset. And while taking care of its clients and driving revenue are critical, I think taking the time to join a workshop and develop new skills allows me to show up in the best way possible for my team. Participating in the Leader in Action webcast series gave me the chance to bring real-world examples to the principles of co-active coaching that I learned in my training - how to listen, read the vibes, and support people not just through what they're saying, but what they're not saying. I like to internalize that curriculum, use it in the real world and create models for my team, with the hope they become more valuable tomorrow than they were yesterday. Two guiding principles have always driven my career: don't be afraid to reassess and reevaluate, and always get back to the basics. As a leader, you can't just focus on the day-to-day sales numbers; you have to support your team with empathy, lead with clarity and create spaces for real connection. Optiv gives Optiv the opportunity to reach breakthroughs in its leadership, and my goal is to keep passing that knowledge forward. Jason Dauer, Regional Sales Director How Opportunity Shaped my Career I'm grateful for the ways embracing opportunity has shaped my path. I never expected my degree in psychology would lead to a career in cybersecurity. My journey has been anything but straightforward, but each experience helped me discover new possibilities. Joining Optiv was a turning point in my career. As a marketing strategist and project manager, I was encouraged to adopt a growth mindset and continuously improve. With the support of my colleagues and leaders, I pursued leadership courses, earned valuable certifications and connected with a mentor who played a key role in my professional development. Participating in initiatives like Women of the Channel (WOTC) and the Executive Women's Forum further expanded my network and perspective. The people-first environment at Optiv has empowered my growth. Optiv's focus on expanding talent and opportunity through learning, mentorship and community has shaped my career. It's proof that with the right support, there is not a single path into cybersecurity. The right team can play a pivotal role in unlocking your full potential and should never be underestimated. "The right team can play a pivotal role in unlocking your full potential and should never be underestimated." Brenda Davenport Budeau, Manager, Integrated Marketing Relevant links: About Optiv Security: Secure greatness.(R) Optiv is the world's largest pure-play cybersecurity company. With unmatched technology partnerships and deep technical expertise, Optiv securely enables the AI era for more than 6,000 clients. From financial services and health care, to government, energy and retail, organizations trust Optiv to advise, deploy and operate cybersecurity programs that reduce risk and deliver real results. Learn why Optiv is the most trusted brand in cyber at optiv.com. How can Optiv help? Let Optiv know what you need, and Optiv will have an Optiv professional contact you shortly.

Skillsoft has launched LX Design Studio, an AI-powered content creation tool that cuts custom learning development time by up to 85%. The platform, now generally available within Skillsoft's skills management system, enables organisations to create bespoke training content in three to five days, compared to the traditional two-week timeline. During beta testing, 80% of customers designed and published AI conversation simulations in approximately 15 minutes. Traditional custom course development typically costs $10,000 to $50,000 per course. LX Design Studio uses an AI design agent to create design briefs and recommend appropriate tools, including full courses, presentation practice modules, conversation simulations, or skill assessments. Users can develop content from their own knowledge sources, adapt existing Skillsoft materials, or build experiences from scratch. The tool requires minimal instructional design expertise and automatically integrates with organisations' skills frameworks.