If the past year online training field has been characterised by the emergence of a range of companies offering online learning, the next year looks as though it will be dominated by the are battle between the course directory providers.

The launch of https://skillvest.com[skillvest.com] has been much heralded. This comprehensive service aiming at some of the larger corporate buyers went live two months ago but was formally launched at HRD 2000 amongst a flurry of drum beats and a very eye-catching stand.

In close proximity are two other new-start companies competing to offer similar services, although each has distinct features. Bookacourse.com will roll out its main services in another month, but you can already see the shape of part of what they will be offering. It aims to be an online education portal partnering with both suppliers and corporate purchasers using a sophisticated search engine at its hub. Nearby is World of Training where course providers can list their courses and arrange for their bookings to be taken on line.

Meanwhile, in another hall, trainingdirectory.com is beginning to look well established even though it is only a year old. The site currently claims to have over 100,000 courses listed on its site – far more than any of the newer competitors.

We'll be reviewing and comparing these various sites shortly, but meanwhile, you may want to cruise through what's on offer to make up your own mind.