Upskilling a technology team with practical AI skills

Problem

A US-based client needed to upskill their software team, particularly those in data-focused roles such as data engineers and administrators. Their goal was to enable these professionals to build and deploy AI solutions more effectively. The client requested a tailored training program that could provide both theoretical knowledge and practical experience, ensuring their team members could quickly apply what they learned to real-world projects.

Solution

To address this, we designed a 10-week custom course in collaboration with the client, structured around a weekly schedule of 2 hours of lecture and 2 hours of workshop. During the lectures, participants were introduced to foundational concepts and advanced techniques, while the workshops allowed them to put those ideas into practice. By working on their first AI project, participants gained hands-on experience and saw the immediate relevance of the topics covered.

The course content included key aspects of AI and machine learning, including data preprocessing, model training, evaluation, large language models, prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, fine-tuning, and deployment.

Throughout the program, we adjusted the materials and exercises to align closely with the client’s business objectives, ensuring the content remained practical and relevant.

Impact

By the end of the course, participants self-reported a 2x increase in their ability to build AI solutions. They not only understood the theoretical underpinnings of AI techniques but also felt confident applying these skills to their ongoing projects.

This new expertise inspired the company to plan a hackathon aimed at developing AI prototypes for various internal use cases, reflecting the client’s commitment to fostering innovation and improving operational efficiency.