Start date: 20 October 2026
Duration: 20th, 22nd, 27th & 29th Oct (9:30am - 12:30pm)
Location: Dundalk - Creative Spark
Certificate: N/A
Cost: €179 per person (Non Chamber & Network Members €225)
Course code: N/A
Programme overview
Build a practical AI system that understands your business and helps you complete everyday tasks more efficiently.
This is a non-technical programme suitable for people who have never used Claude before. No programming skills or previous experience with Claude is required. The trainer will guide you through each step, from setting up your account to building useful tools for your business.
Over four hands-on, half-day sessions, you will create your own “AI Brain”, a personalised AI workspace with useful tools and templates for the tasks you do regularly. You’ll learn how to get more relevant answers, reduce repetitive work and use Claude confidently.
Working on your own laptop, you will build and test a system tailored to your business, with practical support throughout.
Upskill SME Training Grant
This programme qualifies for the Upskill SME Training Grant. Eligible employers can claim €408.60 per employee completing all four sessions, equivalent to two training days at €204.30 per day.
For more information, see "About this Programme" below.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the training programme, participants will:
- Understand AI agents and identify practical applications within your business.
- Set up a personalised Claude AI Brain on your laptop.
- Organise business information and instructions to improve AI responses.
- Create reusable skills for recurring tasks, including proposals, reports and client work.
- Introduce relevant automations and refine your system over time.
- Understand account options, access permissions and data privacy considerations.
About this Programme
Upskill SME Training Grant
To qualify, businesses must:
- Be a commercial business registered in the Republic of Ireland, operating for more than 12 months and tax compliant.
- Meet the EU SME definition: fewer than 250 employees and annual turnover up to €50 million or a balance sheet total up to €43 million, including relevant linked or partner company figures.
- Meet applicable De Minimis State Aid requirements.
- Ensure employees attend all 4 sessions.
- Register on the scheme portal and submit a claim following training. (Dundalk Chamber Skillnet will provide additional details on the process)
The Upskill SME Training Grant supports commercial SMEs, and therefore the following types of companies are ineligible for grant aid under this scheme:
• Companies which do not meet the stated SME eligibility criteria
• Public sector bodies
• Non-Government bodies (Charity or not-for-profit organisations)
• Companies based outside the Republic of Ireland
• Sole Traders
Participant Requirements and Subscription Costs
Participants need their own laptop, permission to install the required software and an active Claude Pro or Team subscription, purchased separately. Claude Pro costs €22 per month or Team (2 seats) is around €40 – €50. The subscription can be cancelled at any stage.
Business Information and Privacy
With your organisation’s permission, Claude will access the participants emails and selected documents to help with your tasks. Access permissions will be reviewed & limited during setup.
The trainer will check that model training is switched off before any business information is used. This means your information can help Claude give you relevant answers without being used to train its general AI models.
Who Is This Course For?
Business owners, managers and employees who want to use AI to save time and support everyday business tasks. Suitable for beginners: you only need basic computer skills and a willingness to learn.
Modules
Module 1: Understanding and Planning Your AI Brain
Explore how business context, reusable skills and automation work together. Identify opportunities within your business and receive the full template pack and step-by-step setup instructions.
Module 2: Building Your AI Brain
Install Claude Code and create your business’s AI Brain folder with live support. Organise the information and instructions Claude needs to support your work.
Module 3: Custom Skills and Automation
Build reusable skills tailored to your business and introduce your first practical automations. Test these workflows between sessions to see how they perform in everyday use.
Module 4: Refining Your System
Review your progress, address challenges and expand your skills and automations. Explore the Claude desktop app for everyday use, with an introduction to API billing and usage monitoring where relevant
Applications Closing on 19/10/2026
