The need for the integration of generic skills training into structured PhD programmes is widely accepted. However, effective integration of such training requires flexible delivery mechanisms which facilitate self-paced and independent learning. We video recorded an eminent speaker delivering a one-hour live presentation to a group of fifteen first-year science and engineering PhD research students. The topic of the presentation was inter-disciplinary professional communication skills. Following the presentation, we post-processed the video recording into seven alternative podcast formats. At a subsequent session, we showed the seven podcast formats to the fifteen students and carried out a survey to assess their reactions to the various formats. The survey results (quantitative and qualitative) were analyzed to give useful insight into the student preferences in relation to podcast formats. The students expressed a clear preference for summary key-point slides with explanatory voice-over by the original speaker. Such a podcast should be made available before a face-to-face session to promote discussion at that session and/or after a face-to-face session to help reinforce key points discussed at the session.