From Learning to Earning: How SkillUp Is Powering Career Growth

In this interaction with CIOL, JPS Kohli, Founder & Group CEO of SkillUp, shares insights into how the platform is tackling the growing tech skills gap.

Positioning itself as a future-focused edtech learning provider, SkillUp Online aims to equip professionals and organizations with the skills needed to navigate emerging technologies. The platform emphasizes job-aligned training and practical experience, seeking to align learning outcomes with the evolving demands of today’s employers. Excerpts:

We often talk about closing the digital skills gap, but how is SkillUp actually helping learners get from point A to point B in their careers?

SkillUp is focused on ensuring that learners build competencies they can demonstrate, not just acquire knowledge. Our learning design is based on identifying clear pathways to career outcomes, and then equipping learners to move through those paths by practicing and applying real skills. Each journey is structured around hands-on projects, adaptive assessments, and the ability to deliver a real-world outcome. This makes the learning experience measurable, practical, and directly tied to job readiness.

We work backwards from what a job demands. If a learner wants to become proficient in AI, for example, we identify what it takes to build a real solution, break that down into skill levels, and guide the learner through conceptual understanding, architecture, testing, and deployment. It is competency-focused, not just content-driven.

By the end, learners have a portfolio of work projects they’ve completed, problems they’ve solved, and skills they’ve applied. This gives employers concrete proof of what they can do. Our ultimate goal is employability. We are bridging the gap between theory and execution by supporting learners all the way from where they are today to where they want to go next in their careers.

There are so many online learning platforms out there. What’s the one thing that really sets SkillUp apart for someone who’s already working and trying to upskill?

What sets SkillUp apart is our commitment to deeper learning. Specifically, we focus on helping professionals not just learn, but apply what they’ve learned. While most platforms cater to self-learners, we recognize that only 5 to 6 percent of learners truly thrive without structure. Most working professionals need more than just video content; they need support, feedback, and accountability.

We combine technology-enabled learning with a human touch. That means real-time learning analytics, adaptive assessments, virtual instructors, and project-based evaluations paired with mentors and coaches who guide learners through each phase. If someone is struggling, we intervene. If someone is progressing quickly, we offer stretch challenges.

Our goal is to personalize learning at scale. That means understanding a learner’s pace, learning style, and stumbling blocks, and providing the right combination of content, practice, and nudges to help them move forward. We do not stop at certification. We ensure learners walk away with demonstrable capabilities and the confidence to use them in real-world roles. That is what truly empowers professionals to upskill meaningfully and quickly.

You’ve got some big partners like Microsoft and IBM. How do those collaborations shape what you offer learners, especially when it comes to staying relevant in today’s job market?

Our partnerships with Microsoft, IBM, and other industry leaders play a key role in ensuring SkillUp’s offerings remain directly aligned with job market demands. These are not just branding partnerships. They help shape our curriculum and certification pathways in a way that signals credibility and rigor to employers.

These collaborations allow learners to access content and credentials recognized across the globe. But more importantly, we do not just stop at offering certifications. We pair them with rigorous project-based learning. A learner might earn an IBM or Microsoft certificate, but they will also complete assignments and capstone projects that apply those skills to real-world contexts. That is what employers look for: proof of execution, not just exam results.

The value of these partnerships lies in their relevance. Through constant dialogue with these organizations, we stay ahead of emerging technologies and skills, and we incorporate those insights into our learner journeys. It is this mix of industry alignment plus applied practice that gives SkillUp learners an edge in today’s competitive, fast-moving job market.

On AI in education, how is SkillUp using it to make learning more personal or effective for users?

At SkillUp, we see AI as a powerful tool to personalize learning at scale, and we are actively building toward that future. Our vision is to create intelligent systems that understand how each learner progresses, identify where they struggle, and adjust the learning journey in real time. While we are still evolving this capability, the direction is clear.

One of the areas we are investing in is adaptive assessments. We are developing an AI-powered generator that can tailor question difficulty based on performance. The idea is that if a learner is progressing quickly, they will be challenged with more complex tasks. If they hit a roadblock, the system can help identify foundational gaps and suggest revisiting key concepts. These features are in pilot stages, but early results are promising.

We are also exploring AI-driven coaching tools that offer contextual guidance and insights based on learner behavior. That said, we do not believe AI replaces human support. It complements it. Our goal is to blend smart technology with mentorship and structured pathways, making the experience more responsive and effective over time.

AI is not just a buzzword for us. It is part of a longer journey to build truly individualized learning experiences step by step, and learner by learner.

Have you seen any standout stories, like someone who completely changed their career or grew in their role because of something they learned on SkillUp?

Yes, one that stands out is a learner who completed our TechMaster program and later shared, unprompted, that he received a 60 percent salary increase, directly attributing his career growth to the skills and support he received from SkillUp. It is not just about passing a course. It is about achieving real transformation.

This learner did not just finish a certification. He went through a full journey of skill-building, project execution, and competency demonstration. He was able to tie what he learned to real outcomes in his job, which is exactly the impact we aim for.

We have several such testimonials, but what makes this case powerful is how clearly it shows the difference between education and transformation. Our programs are designed not just to deliver content, but to build capability that leads to tangible progress. It is stories like these that affirm we are doing more than teaching. We are helping people truly skill up and leap forward in their careers.