Prompt engineering is the most practical AI skill a business professional can learn. While basic AI awareness tells your team what AI tools can do, prompt engineering teaches them how to get consistently excellent results — across ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and any other AI tool.
For Malaysian companies, the timing is ideal: HRDF funding covers up to 100% of training costs, and the talent market increasingly expects AI proficiency as a baseline skill.
Prompt engineering is the skill of writing effective instructions for AI tools. Think of it as the difference between asking a colleague "can you help with this report?" versus giving them a clear brief with context, examples, format requirements, and quality standards.
The same principle applies to AI. A well-engineered prompt produces a usable output on the first attempt. A poor prompt produces generic, meandering content that requires extensive rework.
Assign the AI a specific expert persona before giving your request. A "senior compliance officer with 15 years of experience in Malaysian financial services" produces different output than a generic AI.
Set explicit boundaries on format, length, tone, and scope. "Write a 200-word executive summary in formal British English, focusing on three key findings" produces far better results than "summarise this."
Instruct the AI to reason step by step before answering. Essential for complex analysis, strategic recommendations, and any task where the reasoning matters as much as the conclusion.
Provide 1-3 examples of the output you expect. Examples communicate quality standards more effectively than descriptions. Show the AI what "good" looks like and it will match the pattern.
Provide explicit evaluation criteria for the AI to assess against. Produces structured, fair evaluations for vendor reviews, performance assessments, and quality audits.
Ask the AI to compare options side-by-side against defined criteria. Essential for technology selection, strategic decisions, and vendor comparisons.
Plan for 2-4 rounds of refinement. The first output is rarely perfect — but with structured feedback, each round improves dramatically.
The Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), administered by HRD Corp (formerly PSMB), is Malaysia's employer-funded training levy. Companies registered with HRD Corp can claim training costs for approved programmes.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Company registration | Registered with HRD Corp (mandatory for companies with 10+ employees in certain sectors) |
| Levy status | Up to date on monthly HRDF levy payments |
| Training provider | Must be a registered training provider |
| Claim scheme | SBL (Skim Bantuan Latihan) or SBL-Khas |
| Feature | SBL | SBL-Khas |
|---|---|---|
| Claim limit | Based on levy balance | Exceeds levy balance (with approval) |
| Approval | Pre-approval required | Pre-approval required |
| Coverage | Course fees, materials, meals | Course fees, materials, meals, accommodation |
| Timeline | Submit 30 days before training | Submit 30 days before training |
| Cost Component | Typical Amount | HRDF Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Course fee (per pax, 1-day) | RM 1,500 - RM 3,000 | Up to 100% |
| Course fee (per pax, 2-day) | RM 2,500 - RM 5,000 | Up to 100% |
| Training materials | Included | Covered |
| Meals and refreshments | RM 50 - RM 80/pax/day | Covered |
Pertama Partners' CIPHER (Mastering AI Communication) programme is a dedicated prompt engineering course for business professionals.
What makes it different:
Formats:
| Provider | Programme | Duration | HRDF |
|---|---|---|---|
| e-LATiH (HRD Corp) | AI and Digital Skills courses | Varies | Subsidised |
| 360DigiTMG | AI and ML training programmes | Multi-week | Check eligibility |
| Asia School of Business | Micro-Credential in AI | Short programme | Check eligibility |
| Coursera for Business | Prompt Engineering Specialisation | Self-paced | Not HRDF claimable |
| Format | Duration | Best For | Group Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Day Intensive | 8 hours | Full team upskilling | 15-30 |
| 2-Day Masterclass | 16 hours | Deep mastery + prompt library | 15-25 |
| Half-Day Executive | 4 hours | Leaders and managers | 10-20 |
| Modular Programme | 4 x 2-hour sessions | Teams that cannot take full days off | 15-30 |
| Train-the-Trainer | 2 days | AI Champions | 5-10 |
| Metric | Before Training | After Training | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usable AI outputs on first attempt | 20-30% | 70-85% | 3-4x improvement |
| Time spent refining AI results | 15-20 min/task | 3-5 min/task | 75% faster |
| Employee AI adoption (weekly use) | 25-40% | 75-90% | 2-3x increase |
| Time savings per person per week | 1-2 hours | 5-8 hours | 4-5x improvement |
Do I need technical skills to learn prompt engineering? No. Prompt engineering courses for business teams are designed for non-technical professionals. You write instructions in plain English (or Bahasa Malaysia) — no coding required.
How quickly will my team see results? Most professionals see immediate improvement after the first day. Measurable productivity gains (5-8 hours saved per week) typically appear within 2-4 weeks as prompt engineering becomes habitual.
Can the course be delivered in Bahasa Malaysia? Most corporate programmes are delivered in English, with bilingual support available. Pertama Partners can accommodate bilingual delivery for teams that prefer it.
Is prompt engineering the same for ChatGPT and Copilot? The core patterns are the same across all AI tools. A good prompt engineering course teaches cross-platform techniques so your team is effective with any AI tool — not locked into one platform.
Yes. Prompt engineering courses delivered by PSMB-registered providers are HRDF claimable under SBL and SBL-Khas schemes, covering up to 100% of training fees. Pertama Partners programmes are fully HRDF claimable.
The best prompt engineering course for companies is one that teaches cross-platform techniques (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot), includes hands-on practice with your industry context, and provides reusable prompt libraries. Pertama Partners' CIPHER programme is a 1-2 day intensive covering all 7 essential prompt patterns.
