Interplay Learning

Interplay Learning operates an online and virtual-reality training and career development platform for the essential skilled trades. Its catalog covers residential and commercial HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, appliances, safety, multi-family maintenance and facilities maintenance, and, following the acquisition of Industrial Training International, crane, rigging and load-handling activities. The platform combines hands-on 3D simulations, expert-led video courseware, knowledge checks and assessments, and personalized learning paths, and by 2024 offered more than 500 hours of courseware. Content is accessible on desktop, tablet and mobile devices as well as in virtual reality; a mobile app (formerly branded SkillMill) delivers short-form training videos, on-demand quizzes and just-in-time reference material.

The company positions its training as a route to making workers job-ready "in weeks, not years," targeting the skilled labor shortage. It cites U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections of 1.5 million new skilled trades jobs by 2029 without enough workers to fill them. Learners can earn continuing education units and prepare for certification exams including EPA 608, OSHA 10 and NATE.

Interplay serves small and midsize businesses, enterprises, educational institutions, workforce development organizations and individual learners. Beyond corporate customers, it supplies supplemental simulation and VR learning to education programs and supports the launch of independent skilled trades academies.

Founding story

Founded in 2016 by Doug Donovan, who serves as CEO; the company frames its mission around the shortage of essential skilled workers in the U.S., exacerbated by accelerating retirements, and around "better careers, better lives" for trades workers.

Business model

Subscription-based access to an online career development and training platform, sold to businesses, educational institutions, workforce development organizations and individual learners; the mobile career development platform (formerly SkillMill) is described as a subscription solution.

Subscription fees for platform access across multiple customer segments.

Traction

Reported more than 2,000 customers and 110,000 users nationwide with usage up 445% in 2020 and over 300% year-over-year growth; by September 2024, more than 250,000 people trained and close to 2,000 business and education organizations served; the company's site reports over 500,000 learners trained and 14,000+ companies, and its Android app shows over 10,000 downloads.

Latest developments

In 2026 Interplay Learning was named to TIME's list of the World's Top EdTech Companies (August 2026), earned a fourth Inc. 5000 placement at No. 1152 (August 2026), and announced a partnership with Philadelphia International Airport to standardize facilities maintenance training across 3.2 million square feet of airport operations (July 2026).