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.