NEC America Implements SmartForce e-Learning Solution

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—August 28, 2002—SmartForce (Nasdaq: SMTF), the world’s largest and most experienced e-Learning company, today announced that it has signed a new, multi-year agreement to provide a SmartForce learning solution covering information technology topics to NEC America, Inc., an affiliate of NEC Corporation (Nasdaq:NIPNY). The learning solution is aimed at driving the development of new NEC products and accelerating the launch of those products to the market by efficiently delivering knowledge to NEC’s engineers.

NEC America provides communications products and software for carrier and enterprise networks. The company employs a core staff of engineers who are responsible for research and product development. As demand for advanced telecommunications and network technology rapidly grows, NEC engineers require effective and up-to-date training in order to stay abreast of technological advances and to meet market demand. Success in the highly competitive telecommunications industry depends on the level and currency of employees’ skills. Since launching technology-focused e-Learning to its engineering employees, 100 NEC engineers have successfully completed nearly 2,000 SmartForce learning objects. This is a direct reflection of NEC America’s commitment to employee development and maximizing the quality of its customer service and product development.

The SmartForce IT learning solution delivers knowledge cost-effectively and consistently to NEC engineers throughout the enterprise. The solution, covering topics such as programming, Internet security, project management, Cisco and Microsoft training and certifications, is supplemented by collaboration tools, real-time mentoring and a Web community of more than two million users—all of which is available from the MySmartForce learning platform. Promoting higher levels of skill development and employee performance through e-Learning, NEC America can shorten its product development time and bring products to market faster and at the highest possible quality. The results should provide additional months of revenue generating time from each new product the company introduces, and hence, great potential for revenue and profit improvement. The learning solution has the added benefit of helping to increase job satisfaction by expanding the breadth of training options, which ultimately will help NEC America retain its most valuable employees.

“At NEC, we understand that having the right skills and knowledge translates into better research, faster product development and ultimately increased revenue,” said Wim Wetzel, manager training and education, of NEC America. “To this end, NEC has made a strong commitment to creating an organization dedicated to employee training and development, and as such, we aim to provide our people with the best blended learning solutions possible. We can achieve our goals with SmartForce.”

“SmartForce e-Learning enables NEC America to enhance its development process and may speed the time to market for new products,” said Greg Priest, chairman and CEO of SmartForce. “By delivering just-in-time information to engineers, NEC has the potential to gain a significant competitive advantage and effectively drive the core processes that directly impact its strategy.”

About NEC America, Inc.

NEC America, Inc., an affiliate of NEC Corporation (NASDAQ:NIPNY), develops, manufactures and markets a complete line of advanced communications products and software for public and private networks, including digital key telephone and PBX systems; ATM switching systems; facsimile equipment, fiber optic transmission systems; data communications products; digital microwave radio; satellite communications and network management systems. NEC Corp. and its affiliates worldwide are a $38 billion global leader whose 140,000 employees are dedicated to providing leading-edge computer, communications and semiconductor products and services. For more information about NEC America, visit: http://www.necamerica.com/.

About SmartForce

SmartForce, the world’s largest and most experienced e-Learning company, provides integrated e-Learning solutions that enable enterprises to generate concrete, significant business outcomes by more effectively distributing knowledge around the extended enterprise. With more than 2,500 corporate customers, including many of the world’s largest organizations, SmartForce e-Learning solutions bring the power of the Internet to business processes involving learning, skills development and knowledge transfer. SmartForce is quoted on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol “SMTF.” The company, which has more than 1,500 employees worldwide, has corporate headquarters at 900 Chesapeake Drive, Redwood City, Calif., 94063. Phone: 650.817.5900. Fax: 650.817.5061. Web site: www.smartforce.com

SmartForce, SmartForce e-Learning and the SmartForce logo are trademarks of SmartForce. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

CONTACT

Anna Yen

SmartForce Investor Relations

(650) 817-5924

Anna_yen@smartforce.com