AI for Work and Study is a 4-week practical short course for anyone who wants to use AI confidently at work or in their studies. Across 40 workshop-style lessons you'll work hands-on with several leading AI assistants, learning how to write effective prompts, research and check information, produce professional work and build AI into a workflow of your own.
The course is project-led. Every week ends with a practical challenge, and the final week finishes with an individual AI-powered project that you present. It's suitable for beginners and intermediate users.
What is this course about?
Course Overview
Entry Requirements
Minimum Age and Level
18+ years old. Suitable for beginners and intermediate users.
Course Duration
4 weeks
Duration may vary depending on learner needs. Adjustments are available upon request.
Course Structure
40 lessons total
Lessons are 45 minutes duration, with 30 hours of guided learning.
What will I learn?
Course Outcomes
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
confidently use several leading AI assistants and models
write effective prompts and instructions
use AI for research, learning, writing and communication
use AI to analyse information and data
create presentations and other professional materials
use AI for job searching, CVs and professional development
use AI with images, documents and other media
compare outputs from different AI models
identify hallucinations, misinformation and unreliable AI outputs
understand basic AI privacy, copyright and academic-integrity issues
combine several AI tools into a practical workflow
independently identify opportunities to use AI in your own work or studies
Week by Week
The Course Journey
Week 1: Getting Started
Your AI Toolkit
Lesson
Topic
Practical Activity
1
Welcome to the AI Workplace
Use an AI assistant to solve a real everyday problem; compare human and AI approaches
2
Your AI Toolkit
Hands-on introduction to several AI assistants and models
3
How to Talk to AI
Prompt-writing workshop: turn vague requests into effective instructions
4
Prompting for Better Results
Experiment with role, context, constraints, examples and output formats
5
AI as a Personal Assistant
Plan a week, organise tasks, create a timetable and prioritise work
6
AI for Brainstorming & Ideas
Generate, challenge and develop ideas using different models
7
AI for Writing
Create and improve emails, reports, summaries and professional messages
8
AI as a Tutor
Ask AI to teach a difficult subject using different learning approaches
9
Comparing AI Models
Give the same task to 3 or 4 AI systems and compare their responses
10
Mini Challenge: Solve a Real Problem
Work in teams to solve a practical workplace or study challenge with AI and present your solution
Week 2: AI for Study, Research & Information
Finding, understanding and using information intelligently
Lesson
Topic
Practical Activity
11
AI Research Assistant
Research a topic using multiple AI systems
12
Searching vs Asking AI
Compare conventional search with AI-assisted research
13
Fact-Checking AI
Investigate hallucinations and inaccurate AI answers
14
Working with Documents
Upload a document and extract, summarise and interrogate its contents
15
From Article to Briefing
Turn several sources into a structured briefing
16
AI for Academic & Professional Reading
Extract key arguments, terminology, evidence and conclusions
17
Learning with AI
Build a personalised lesson, quiz and revision programme
18
AI and Language Learning
Use AI for vocabulary, conversation, correction and role-play
19
AI for Presentations
Research a subject and turn it into a presentation structure
20
Research Challenge
Complete a mini research project using 2 or 3 different AI systems
Week 3: AI for Work & Professional Productivity
Using AI to become more productive at work
Lesson
Topic
Practical Activity
21
AI at Work: The Modern AI Assistant
Identify repetitive tasks AI could help with
22
Professional Email & Communication
Draft, rewrite and personalise workplace communications
23
Reports, Briefings & Documents
Turn raw information into a professional report
24
Meetings & Notes
Convert meeting notes into actions, responsibilities and deadlines
25
Data with AI
Analyse a spreadsheet or data set and identify trends
26
AI for Problem Solving
Give AI a workplace problem and develop multiple solutions
27
AI for Project Management
Create a project plan, timeline, risks and action list
28
AI for Presentations & Visual Communication
Create a professional presentation and supporting visuals
29
AI Agents & Multi-Step Workflows
Build a workflow where AI performs several stages of a task
30
Workplace Challenge
Complete an end-to-end professional task using multiple AI tools
Week 4: AI for Employability & Your Future
Using AI to build your professional future
Lesson
Topic
Practical Activity
31
Understanding Your AI Strengths
Identify tasks AI can help you perform better
32
AI & Your CV
Analyse and improve a CV for a specific role
33
AI & Job Applications
Tailor applications to individual vacancies
34
Building Your Personal Brand
Define professional strengths, interests and positioning
35
LinkedIn & Professional Networking
Create or improve a professional online profile
36
Interview Preparation with AI
AI-powered mock interview and feedback
37
AI Portfolio Project
Build a professional work or study portfolio using AI
38
AI Ethics, Privacy & Academic Integrity
Explore appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI
39
Your Personal AI Workflow
Design a reusable AI system for work or study
40
Final AI Challenge & Showcase
Complete and present an individual AI-powered project
Your AI Toolkit
AI Systems You'll Use
"Which AI tool is right for this task, and how do I get the best result from it?"
The aim isn't to memorise the differences between brands. It's to be able to answer this question.
ChatGPT
Google Gemini
Microsoft Copilot
Claude
Perplexity
How much does it cost?
Dates & Fees
Most courses are available throughout the year. You can find a full list of course dates and prices in our Dates & Fees, or use the ETC Course Calculator to get a quote.
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