This is the most common question HR and L&D leaders ask when evaluating AI training options. The honest answer: it depends on what you need to achieve.
A 1-day AI course is excellent for awareness, confidence, and initial capability. In a single well-structured day, your team moves from uncertainty about AI to active, confident use of tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot. Participants leave with practical prompts they can use immediately, a foundational understanding of what AI can and cannot do, and a clear sense of where AI fits into their daily work.
What a 1-day course does not deliver is mastery. Deep department-specific customisation, advanced multi-pattern prompt engineering, and adoption planning with measurement frameworks require more time. For those outcomes, a 2-day programme or in-house course is the better fit.
That said, for most companies taking their first step into AI training, one day is the ideal starting point. It minimises time away from work, keeps costs manageable, and gives leadership a clear signal of team readiness for further investment.
The 1-day format works best for:
The 1-day course is designed for business professionals, not technical specialists. No coding knowledge, data science background, or prior AI experience is required. Participants need only a laptop with internet access and a willingness to learn.
The 1-day programme follows a carefully sequenced structure that builds from foundations to application to action planning.
| Time | Session | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Welcome and AI Foundations | Presentation + Q&A |
| 9:45 AM | Live Demo: AI Tools in Action | Instructor demonstration |
| 10:30 AM | Break | |
| 10:45 AM | Prompt Engineering Masterclass (7 Patterns) | Interactive workshop |
| 12:00 PM | Hands-On Practice | Guided exercises |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch | |
| 1:30 PM | Department-Specific Applications (Breakout) | Breakout by function |
| 2:45 PM | Break | |
| 3:00 PM | Safe Use, Governance, and Company Policy | Presentation + discussion |
| 3:45 PM | Building Your Prompt Library | Workshop |
| 4:30 PM | Action Planning: 30-Day AI Plan | Action planning |
| 5:00 PM | Close and Certificates | Wrap-up |
AI Foundations (9:00 AM) — We start with a jargon-free explanation of how large language models work, what they are good at, and where they fall short. This session corrects common misconceptions and builds realistic expectations. Participants learn the difference between generative AI, traditional automation, and machine learning — without needing a technical background.
Live Demo (9:45 AM) — The instructor demonstrates 10 real business use cases live, showing participants exactly how AI tools handle tasks like drafting emails, summarising reports, creating meeting agendas, analysing data, and generating first drafts of proposals. This session consistently generates the most engagement because participants see immediate relevance to their own work.
Prompt Engineering Masterclass (10:45 AM) — The core skill-building session. Participants learn seven prompt patterns that work across all major AI tools:
Each pattern is taught with a live demonstration, followed by guided practice where participants apply the pattern to their own work scenarios.
Hands-On Practice (12:00 PM) — Before lunch, participants complete their first independent exercise: applying 2-3 prompt patterns to a real task from their role. The instructor circulates to provide individual feedback.
Department-Specific Applications (1:30 PM) — Participants break into groups by function (HR, Finance, Sales, Operations, Marketing) for targeted exercises using prompts designed for their specific workflows. Each group works through 3-4 role-specific scenarios with instructor guidance.
Safe Use, Governance, and Company Policy (3:00 PM) — A critical session covering data privacy, confidentiality boundaries, accuracy verification, bias awareness, and compliance considerations. This session can be customised to reference your company's specific policies and the relevant data protection regulations in your jurisdiction (PDPA in Malaysia, PDPA in Singapore, UU PDP in Indonesia).
Building Your Prompt Library (3:45 PM) — Participants create a personal collection of 10-15 tested, refined prompts tailored to their role. This library becomes their immediate post-training resource — prompts they can use starting the next working day.
30-Day AI Plan (4:30 PM) — Each participant creates a personal action plan identifying three specific tasks they will use AI for in the next 30 days, the prompts they will use, and how they will measure improvement. This bridges the gap between training and actual adoption.
By the end of the 1-day course, every participant will be able to:
| Feature | 1-Day Course | 2-Day Course | Modular Programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 8 hours | 16 hours | 4-8 sessions (2-4 hrs each) |
| Best for | Awareness + initial skills | Deep capability building | Ongoing skill development |
| Prompt patterns covered | 7 (introduced) | 7 (mastered + combined) | Progressive mastery |
| Hands-on practice time | 2-3 hours | 6-8 hours | 1-2 hours per session |
| Personal prompt library | 10-15 prompts | 20-50 prompts | Grows over time |
| Department breakouts | 1 session (60 min) | 2-3 sessions (3+ hours) | Dedicated sessions per role |
| Adoption planning | Basic (30-day plan) | Comprehensive (with metrics) | Built into each session |
| Advanced techniques | Overview only | Multi-pattern combinations | Layered progression |
| Investment per person | Lowest | Moderate | Spread over time |
| Time away from work | 1 day | 2 days | 2-4 hours per session |
Choose 1-day if your primary goal is getting the entire team to a confident baseline and you want to minimise time away from work.
Choose 2-day if you want measurable skill mastery, department-specific depth, and a comprehensive adoption plan with metrics.
Choose modular if you prefer spreading learning over weeks, allowing participants to practise between sessions and bring real questions back to each workshop.
Not all 1-day AI courses deliver the same value. When evaluating providers, look for these indicators of a programme that will produce lasting results rather than a forgettable day of presentations:
Hands-on practice time exceeds lecture time. A well-designed 1-day programme dedicates at least 40% of the day to guided exercises where participants use AI tools on realistic business tasks. If the agenda is mostly slides and demonstrations, participants will leave entertained but not skilled.
Prompt engineering is taught as a structured discipline. Effective courses teach specific, repeatable prompt patterns — not just tips and tricks. Participants should learn a framework they can apply to any AI tool and any task, not just the examples shown during the session.
Governance is integrated, not bolted on. Safe use, data privacy, and company policy should be woven throughout the programme — not squeezed into a 15-minute slot at the end when everyone is tired. Responsible AI use is a foundational skill, not an afterthought.
Participants leave with tangible assets. A prompt library, a 30-day action plan, and reference materials are the minimum. If participants leave with only their notes, most of the learning will evaporate within a week.
The instructor has corporate training experience. AI knowledge alone is not enough. The instructor should understand business workflows, corporate dynamics, and how to make technical concepts accessible to non-technical professionals.
The Human Resources Development Fund (administered by HRD Corp) covers up to 100% of training costs for registered employers. Most companies with 10 or more employees in designated sectors are required to contribute to HRDF and can claim training expenses through the SBL or SBL-Khas schemes.
To claim: submit your training application through HRD Corp's e-Trak system at least 30 days before the course date. Pertama Partners is a registered training provider and can assist with the application process.
Singapore-registered companies can access 70-90% course fee subsidies through SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). Enhanced subsidies of up to 90% are available for SMEs (companies with fewer than 200 employees or annual turnover below SGD 100 million) and employees aged 40 and above.
Additional support through the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) provides a one-off SGD 10,000 credit for eligible employers to cover out-of-pocket training costs.
Indonesia's Kartu Prakerja programme provides training subsidies for Indonesian workers. Eligibility and coverage vary by programme cycle. Corporate training may also qualify for tax deductions under Indonesia's vocational training incentive schemes.
The 1-day course builds a strong foundation, but the real value comes from what happens next. Here are the recommended progression paths:
Immediate (Days 1-30): Execute your 30-day AI plan. Use your prompt library daily. Track time saved on the tasks you identified during the action planning session.
Short-term (Months 1-3): Share prompt libraries across your team. Identify power users who can champion AI adoption within each department. Consider scheduling a half-day follow-up session to address questions that arise from real-world use.
Medium-term (Months 3-6): Evaluate whether your team would benefit from a 2-day advanced programme or in-house customised training. Review AI governance policies based on actual usage patterns. Measure ROI across departments.
Long-term (6+ months): Establish AI as a core competency in your organisation. Build department-specific prompt libraries. Consider specialised courses for power users and champions.
How many participants can attend a 1-day course? The optimal group size is 15-25 participants. This allows for meaningful hands-on practice with individual feedback from the instructor. For larger groups, we recommend running multiple sessions or adding a co-facilitator.
Do participants need to bring their own laptops? Yes. Each participant needs a laptop with internet access and an active account on at least one AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, or Microsoft Copilot). We send setup instructions one week before the course so everyone arrives ready to work.
Can the curriculum be customised for our industry? Yes — even within the 1-day format, we tailor examples, exercises, and the department breakout session to your industry context. For deeper customisation, consider an in-house programme where every element is built around your specific workflows.
What is the difference between a 1-day AI course and a 1-day AI workshop? In practical terms, very little. Both refer to a structured, instructor-led training programme delivered in a single day. The terms "course" and "workshop" are used interchangeably across Southeast Asia. What matters is the content, hands-on practice time, and quality of instruction — not the label.
Is one day really enough to make a difference? Yes, with the right structure. Our post-training surveys consistently show that 85-90% of participants use AI tools within their first week back at work. The 30-day action plan and prompt library give them concrete starting points, removing the "where do I begin?" barrier that stops most self-learners.
A 1-day course is ideal for building AI awareness and basic skills. Participants will learn AI fundamentals, basic prompt engineering, and 3-5 practical use cases for their role. For deeper skills and advanced techniques, consider a 2-day programme or follow-up sessions.
In practice, the terms are used interchangeably. Both refer to a structured, instructor-led training session lasting 6-8 hours. A "course" may imply more curriculum structure, while "workshop" emphasises hands-on practice. Most corporate programmes combine both elements.
