Almost all IT e-learners in a new study said they got what they needed out of their course, regardless of whether they finished it.

The survey, by e-learning provider SkillSoft showed that many wanting to update their IT skills tended to learn on-the-job and apply their new skills immediately, according to a new study

Only 23% of employees actually completed an IT course in one sitting - with many preferring to study in short 30 minute bursts.

However, 92% said that they still learned what they needed to, regardless of whether they had completed the course or not.

81% said they had already used something at work that they had learned through e-learning and out of those that hadn't, 14% said that this was only because they hadn't had the opportunity yet.

SkillSoft surveyed a random selection of e-learning users within 16 global organisations - over half of whom were using e-learning predominantly to enhance their IT skills.

Kevin Young, managing director of SkillSoft EMEA, said: "The research shows us that employees are using e-learning to help them with problems they experience on a day-to-day basis.

"If somebody is trying to complete a specific task they can quickly review the relevant section of an online course to assist them and then apply their new knowledge immediately."

* Free management summaries of the research findings are available from Kay Baldwin-Evans, head of research at SkillSoft at mailto:kay_baldwinevans@skillsoft.com.