Workplace training is facing a mobile revolution with the creation of skill-pills.

Mobile phones, models of Blackberry and even video iPods can now be a source of audio-visual briefings and training thanks to Skill-Pill Mobile Learning (SPML). With many graduate jobs relying on intense training from the outset, they could become crucial to success in your first role.

Businesses will be able to pay for skill-pills to feature up to two minutes of media content consisting of the latest information as well as motivational prompts to bring out the best performance from the receiver.

SPML's chief pill-pusher, Susan Croft said: "Time challenged executives are suffering from attention deficit as they are increasingly bombarded with indiscriminate information. To address this overload, we aim to help organisations target the right employees with the right information at the right time".

The pills can be delivered to any mobile device: phones, new models of Blackberry or the video iPod, and act as a memory prompt. Skill-pills can also be linked to an electronic calendar management system so users can specify when they want one sent, for example, just before key events in the working week.

Nigel Nicholson, Professor of Organisational Behaviour at London Business
School said: “There is no doubt that technology
is part of the problem of information overload on today’s executives. Perhaps it can also be part of the solution. If we can encode and decode the messages properly – and use new channels such as skill-pill – there is a considerable chance of success”.

SPML has formed a partnership with Europe’s business publisher Pearson Education. It will provide SPML access to its catalogue of titles covering leadership and management to produce skill-pills on an exclusive basis.