Two AI Course Opportunities in October
AI is no longer something businesses are simply experimenting with. It is becoming part of how we communicate, market, analyze information, serve customers, manage workflows and get work done.
This October, I’m teaching two practical Trent University micro-credential courses designed to help professionals, business owners, non-profit leaders, managers and students move beyond simply “trying AI” and start using it confidently, strategically and responsibly.
Both courses are virtual and self-paced, with an optional one-hour live online session each week. They are designed for real-world users, not programmers, and focus on skills that can be applied immediately.
Upon successful completion, participants earn a Trent University digital micro-credential badge that can be displayed on LinkedIn, resumes and professional email signatures.
Mastering Microsoft Copilot
Starts October 15, 2026Optional live virtual session: 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Format: Virtual + Self-Paced
If you or your organization already uses Microsoft 365, this course is about getting much more value from the tools you already have.
Mastering Microsoft Copilot focuses on practical ways to use Copilot within Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams to save time, improve productivity and work more effectively.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will be better prepared to:
Understand what Microsoft Copilot is and where it fits within Microsoft 365
Use Copilot more effectively in Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams
Write stronger prompts that produce more useful results
Draft, summarize and improve documents and communications
Use AI to support meeting preparation, summaries and follow-up
Analyze and organize information more efficiently
Identify repetitive workplace tasks where Copilot can save time
Improve everyday workflows and productivity
Understand the importance of human review and oversight
Use AI responsibly while protecting confidential and organizational information
Identify practical opportunities to apply Copilot in their own role or workplace
This course is ideal for employees, supervisors, managers, business owners and professionals whose organizations are beginning to introduce Microsoft Copilot or who want to become more confident using it.
Register for Mastering Microsoft Copilot
AI Business Solutions
Starts October 27, 2026Optional live virtual session: 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.Format: Virtual + Self-Paced
AI Business Solutions is my broader AI course and is designed to help participants understand where AI can create meaningful value across an organization.
Rather than focusing on one AI platform, we explore how different AI tools and approaches can support the many areas of a business or organization.
The course takes participants from understanding the fundamentals of AI through to developing their own practical AI Business Solution.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will explore how to:
Understand what AI is, what it is not and how modern generative AI works
Identify realistic opportunities for AI within a business or organization
Apply principles of AI governance, responsible use, privacy and risk management
Write stronger prompts using the REACT prompting framework
Use AI for business development and identifying new opportunities
Apply AI to marketing, content creation and communications
Improve productivity and reduce time spent on repetitive tasks
Explore AI applications for customer service
Identify opportunities for AI-assisted automation and workflow improvement
Use AI for research, brainstorming, analysis and decision support
Evaluate AI-generated information rather than simply accepting its output
Determine where human judgment and oversight must remain
Select AI tools based on a real organizational need rather than simply following trends
Develop a practical AI Business Solution that addresses a real problem or opportunity
The goal is not simply to learn a collection of AI tools.
It is to learn how to look at a business challenge, identify where AI may be useful and design a solution that creates measurable value.
Register for AI Business Solutions
Which Course Should I Take?
If your organization is already using or preparing to roll out Microsoft Copilot, start with Mastering Microsoft Copilot.
If you want a broader understanding of how AI can be applied across marketing, business development, productivity, customer service, automation and organizational strategy, choose AI Business Solutions.
And there is certainly value in taking both.
One helps you become more capable within the Microsoft Copilot environment. The other helps you develop the strategic thinking needed to identify where AI belongs in a business in the first place.
Practical AI Skills for the Real World
The most important AI skill is not knowing every new tool that appears.
Tools will continue to change.
The lasting skill is learning how to recognize an opportunity, ask better questions, choose an appropriate tool, protect information, critically review the results and use AI to strengthen rather than replace human expertise.
That is what these courses are designed to teach.
Mastering Microsoft Copilot begins October 15, 2026. AI Business Solutions begins October 27, 2026.
Both are available through Trent University Careerspace.
Current Trent University undergraduate students qualify for a 25% discount. Contact microcredential@trentu.ca for details. Trent University alumni receive a 10% discount. Contact alumni@trentu.ca for details.
Whether you are a business owner, employee, manager, non-profit professional or student preparing to enter the workforce, October is a great opportunity to move from “I’ve tried AI” to “I know how to use AI effectively.”
SEE YOU SOON! Sofie
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