Home / Non-Accredited / Artificial Intelligence & Copilot / Prompt Engineering Essentials (1 day)
Quick Look Course Summary:Prompt Engineering Essentials (1 day)
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Length: 1 day(s)
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Price (at your venue): 1 Person R 5,654 EX VAT 3 Person R 3,982 EX VAT 10 Person R 2,940 EX VAT
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Certification Type:Non-Accredited
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Locations & Venues: Off-site or in-house. We train in all major city centres throughout South Africa.
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Prompt Engineering Essentials (1 day)
Delegates write prompts that get accurate, usable results on the first or second attempt, in whichever AI tool they use.
Most disappointing AI results come down to the request, not the tool. A vague one-line prompt gets a generic answer that takes longer to fix than to write from scratch, and an unconstrained one invites invented facts and figures. This practical prompt engineering course teaches a repeatable method for instructing ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini so they return accurate, specific, professional output.
The day builds the craft step by step. Delegates take weak prompts apart and rebuild them using role, context, task, format and constraints; learn reusable patterns such as templates, checklists and critique-and-revise; and practise few-shot prompting with examples, step-by-step reasoning and prompt chaining for larger tasks. They run the same task through three tools to see where each one fits, and learn to repair a poor answer with targeted follow-ups instead of starting again.
Better prompting is also the best defence against AI errors. Delegates learn to make the model cite sources and flag uncertainty, cross-check between tools, recognise biased output and strip confidential information before prompting. The day ends with each person building and testing a small prompt library for their own recurring work.
Why this course
For your organisation
- Usable AI output on the first or second attempt instead of four rewrites
- More value from the ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini access you already have
- Fewer fabricated figures and references reaching clients
- A shared prompting method and library across the team
For your delegates
- A repeatable framework you can apply to any AI tool
- Advanced techniques: examples, step-by-step reasoning and chaining
- Before-and-after practice on your own tasks
- A tested prompt library for your recurring work
What delegates will be able to do
- Structure a prompt with role, context, task, format and constraints
- Rewrite a weak prompt into one that returns a specific, usable result
- Use worked examples to fix the tone, structure and level of detail you need
- Break a large task into a chain of prompts that build on each other
- Repair a poor answer with targeted follow-up prompts
- Choose between ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini for a task based on where the data sits
- Make the model cite sources and flag uncertainty, and verify the output
- Build, test and document reusable prompts for your recurring work
Who should attend
Anyone who already uses AI tools and wants more reliable results, from occasional users to confident ones: administrators, analysts, writers, marketers, sales and customer service staff, team leaders and managers. Delegates should have tried at least one AI assistant; complete beginners may prefer Introduction to AI for the Workplace first.
Course outline
Day 1 – The craft of writing prompts
Why prompts matter
- How AI models respond to instructions
- The anatomy of a strong prompt: role, context, task, format and constraints
- Taking a weak prompt apart and rebuilding it
- Hands-on: before-and-after on a task from your job
Frameworks and patterns
- A reusable framework for everyday prompts
- Patterns: persona, template, checklist and critique-and-revise
- Asking for structure: tables, headings, steps and word limits
- Specifying audience, tone and length up front
Advanced techniques
- Few-shot prompting: giving the model examples to follow
- Step-by-step reasoning and asking the model to show its working
- Prompt chaining: breaking a large task into a sequence
- Targeted follow-ups to repair a weak answer
- Fast models and reasoning models: when each fits
Prompting for different kinds of work
- Writing: reports, proposals and customer replies
- Analysis: interpreting data and making comparisons
- Research: demanding sources and flags for uncertainty
- Creative work: ideas, names and campaign concepts
- One task, three tools: ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini
Reducing errors, bias and risk
- Why models invent facts and how to constrain them
- Verification prompts and cross-checking between tools
- Recognising biased and loaded output
- Removing confidential and personal information before prompting, in line with POPIA
Building your prompt library
- Identifying the recurring tasks in your role
- Writing, testing and documenting a prompt for each
- Sharing and maintaining a team library
- Personal action plan
How it is delivered
One day, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20. Delegates practise on laptops with internet access and the AI tools your organisation allows (ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini); laptops can be supplied on request. Workbook, prompt framework card and library template included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
“We were particularly impressed by the quality of facilitation and the practical relevance of the content presented. The programme was delivered with professionalism, clarity, and a strong emphasis on real-world application.”
“The facilitator effectively encouraged participation and used practical examples, discussions and interactive activities to ensure that the concepts were understood and could be applied in the workplace.”
“Business Optimization Training Institute facilitated Microsoft Excel Training for our company. The course was efficiently scheduled and planned around our timetable. We were impressed by the quality of training.”
Frequently asked questions
Which AI tool does the course use?
The method works in any of them. Delegates practise in ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot or Gemini – whichever your organisation allows – and compare all three on one task.
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. We train at your premises anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of 20. The price per delegate drops as the group grows – see the price table, or ask us for a quote.
Is it accredited?
No – it is a non-accredited short course, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Is there a longer version?
Yes. Generative AI at Work: ChatGPT and Prompt Engineering (2 days) adds a day of hands-on ChatGPT use for writing, summarising, research and safe use before this prompting day.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
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