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Udacity Restructures Operations, Lays Off 20 Percent of Its Workforce (techcrunch.com)
Udacity, the $1 billion online education startup, has laid off about 20 percent of its workforce and is restructuring its operations as the company's co-founder Sebastian Thrun seeks to bring costs in line with revenue without curbing growth, TechCrunch has learned. From the report: The objective is to do more than simply keep the company afloat, Thrun told TechCrunch in a phone interview. Instead, Thrun says these measures will allow Udacity from a money-losing operation to a "break-even or profitable company by next quarter and then moving forward." The 75 employees, including a handful of people in leadership positions, were laid off earlier today as part of a broader plan to restructure operations at Udacity. The startup now employs 300 full-time equivalent employees. It also employs about 60 contractors.
Udacity, which specializes in "nanodegrees" on a range of technical subjects that include AI, deep learning, digital marketing, VR and computer vision, has been struggling for months now, due in part to runaway costs and other inefficiencies. The company grew in 2017, with revenue increasing 100 percent year-over-year thanks to some popular programs like its self-driving car and deep learning nanodegrees, and the culmination of a previous turnaround plan architected by former CMO Shernaz Daver. New programming was added in 2018, but the volume slowed. Those degrees that were added lacked the popularity of some of its other degrees. Meanwhile, costs expanded and their employee ranks swelled.
Udacity, which specializes in "nanodegrees" on a range of technical subjects that include AI, deep learning, digital marketing, VR and computer vision, has been struggling for months now, due in part to runaway costs and other inefficiencies. The company grew in 2017, with revenue increasing 100 percent year-over-year thanks to some popular programs like its self-driving car and deep learning nanodegrees, and the culmination of a previous turnaround plan architected by former CMO Shernaz Daver. New programming was added in 2018, but the volume slowed. Those degrees that were added lacked the popularity of some of its other degrees. Meanwhile, costs expanded and their employee ranks swelled.
Udemy
* Buy a class, own forever with no other fees (forever = Udemy exists).
* Learn on demand.
* Tons of course across all learning (I do drawing and writing courses with my kids, Unity, piano, and more advanced drawing/art for myself). This is a major selling point. They have the tech courses as well (data mining, etc.)
* $10 gets most courses (always on sale)
PluralSight
* Monthly fees for complete access ($35 USD/month for personal).
* Corporate approved (my company provides access).
* Tech oriented (wide range of offerings, but for adults).
* Learn on demand.
Udacity (first heard of them today)
* I can't tell the fee structure or the fees as they require signup first (no thank you).
* Tech and business stuff only.
* Time structured, not on demand. This is a massive detriment in my opinion. Deal killer.
* What's a nanodegree again? (Udacity made that word up)
Conclusions
Udacity is too narrowly focused and I'm not clear what the benefits of a nanodegree are. I can demonstrate knowledge on a topic, I don't need a made up degree.
Udemy wins it from my experience (best instructor interaction and very good course structure, better than Pluarsight which I have had access to for years).
Udemy also has the best fee structure/prices.
Udemy FTW. I've bought about 50 courses from them.
BlameBillCosby.com