Practical AI Upskilling: What Works, What Doesn't, and Where to Begin
AI is completely reshaping how we hire, who we hire, and what skills actually matter in 2026.
While startups are rapidly building products, automating workflows, and experimenting at speed — most organisations are still working out a more fundamental question:
How do we build AI capability across our workforce — responsibly, securely, and at scale?
This workshop is for People leaders who want their teams to work smarter with AI — not just use more tools, but build the skills, habits, and judgement to do it well, safely, and at scale.
About the workshop
You'll hear from John Ridpath, co-founder of Branch — a startup building and operating in a highly AI-native way — while actively navigating the practical questions of safe, responsible adoption in real-world settings.
Through live demos, interactive polling, and structured discussion, we'll explore:
What 'AI-native' ways of working actually look like in practice — the day-to-day reality, not the hype
How individuals and teams are using AI to accelerate work today — specific tools, workflows, and approaches making a measurable difference
Where risks show up in reality — data security, over-reliance, and governance gaps that catch organisations out
What responsible and secure adoption looks like — beyond policy documents and into actual practice
How to translate this into a practical skills strategy — and where funded AI apprenticeships fit as a scalable delivery vehicle
Agenda
🕕 18:00 – 18:30 | Arrivals Register, and connect before the session begins.
🎤 18:30 – 19:30 | Workshop John Ridpath (Branch) delivers live demos, interactive polling, and an honest case study of AI-native working. Turing College closes with a practical framework for where organisations like yours should start — including how funded AI apprenticeships work as a delivery vehicle.
🍾 19:30 – 20:30 | Drinks & Networking Continue the conversation and connect directly with the Turing College team.
Registrations close April 13th at 12pm.
About the presenter
John Ridpath — Co-Founder, Branch
John builds Branch — a startup supporting women returning to work after maternity leave — entirely using AI tools and AI agents across product, marketing, and operations. He brings the unfiltered practitioner's view: what works, what doesn't, and what responsible AI adoption looks like when the stakes are real.