Have you noticed what people are up to during their commutes? Go for a ride on any municipal transit system and chances are, your fellow commuters are face down and tapping away at their smart phones or tablet computers. Gone are the days when men in business suits had the four-seaters commandeered for raucous card games or were asleep using their briefcases as pillows. Now, everyone’s a multi-tasker, and that includes completing corporate training courses on the bus, subway or commuter train.

Modern technological advances have literally lightened our load. We’re no longer relegated to “schlepping” ginormous books and binders with us while we’re upgrading our skills. We’re also no longer chained to our desktops for an Internet connection; our personal devices can now access the Internet from virtually anywhere. So, there really isn’t any excuse left to not partake in online training because you can do it from anywhere, even the um… library, if you catch my drift.

Tablet computers, e-readers and smart phones have given us the ability to accomplish virtually anything wherever and whenever it is convenient for us. We read newspapers and magazines via applications, and download books at the click of a mouse, without the bulk and bother of carrying them with us. Students are downloading journal articles and saving thousands of dollars in textbook costs by downloading materials instead of lugging them all around. Backpack manufacturers and publishers might not be thrilled, but score one for convenience. The same can be said for training materials. The corporate world is saving a bundle on travel expenses and appearance fees to blowhard consultants by videotaping seminars and meetings, and allowing employees to download them to whichever device is most suitable for their use. Boring is a thing of the past; our future is here and it is almost exclusively online.

The next time your boss wants to “send” you for training, mention the fact that any training you need can now be accomplished online. You’ll be the office hero for your insightful suggestions, not to mention your cost-cutting capabilities. Online training courses will keep you off the roads and out of the sky while allowing you to gain the knowledge you need to get ahead. Keeping the boss happy is an extra added bonus.

The next time you see commuters staring intently at their tablets, smart phone and MP3 players, they might just be listening to a seminar or viewing a Podcast. You can join the ranks of the productive commuters by getting yourself a little online training as well. But keep that deck of cards handy just in case…

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Coggno.com offers premier e-learning education.