From Curious To Copilot: Our AI Training Journey So Far

How it started

Our journey with AI training at Stockport and Tameside started in late 2024. Interest in AI was growing, both from library members and more widely across both organisations. This led us to introduce an ‘Introduction to AI’ session as a way to increase understanding around AI and consider the benefits and risks for healthcare. This 1-hour session is based on the re-useable presentations from the Current & Emerging Technology in Knowledge and Library Services group.

After running several sessions, a common feedback theme was that a next step training on the practical use of AI tools would be useful. Microsoft Copilot chat became available in our Trusts for administrative purposes, so this presented a good opportunity to develop a session exploring how Copilot can support with everyday admin tasks. I developed an interactive session aimed at people who are new to using Copilot. It includes tips on using Copilot responsibly, effective prompting techniques and a demonstration of ways it could be used to speed up and enhance admin work. Most of the session is hands-on – there is time for attendees to complete activities or explore their own ideas, and a reflective group discussion on what worked well (or didn’t!).

How it’s going

The training has been popular, and has helped us connect with teams we sometimes struggle to reach, such as community and corporate services. This has been great for raising the profile of Knowledge & Library Services across both Trusts.

Staff find the sessions easy to follow and like being able to see and discuss examples in real time. One attendee even said it’s ‘Probably the first training session I have actually enjoyed (I have worked in the NHS for 30 years)’.

After the session, most people have increased confidence to use and explore Copilot more. They say they will use it to save time and increase productivity. Some of the ways they plan to use it are: developing intranet pages, reviewing policies, lowering the reading age of information, and much more.

Lessons learned

A big part of the success of our AI training has been offering the right topic at the right time. Acting quickly in response to an identified need meant we could support staff with AI skills at a time when there wasn’t much guidance around it.

We run sessions online so they can be accessed more easily by staff working across different sites. This has helped with attendance, although some people still struggle to find time to attend. We have a small library team, so offering joint sessions helps with capacity too and we have built in resilience by upskilling all librarians to deliver the sessions.

The stay & play format offers a safe space to experiment with Copilot. Some colleagues have said that they would not have found time or felt confident to explore Copilot otherwise, but they will use it to save time going forwards. Learning by doing also supplies firsthand experience of the pros and cons of generative AI. It really emphasises the point to check outputs when people find spelling mistakes or misinformation in the response to their own prompts!

The reflective discussions centre people’s own experiences, which helps them relate it to their role and ways of working. It also means everyone can learn from each other and get ideas they could use in their work. As part of this, I usually learn something new too! I always have a couple of anecdotes from my own Copilot experiences ready to go in case a group is not very chatty, but most of the time people are happy to share what they’ve tried during the session.

Looking Ahead

It was fantastic to get recognition for developing our AI training when we took home Gold at the LIHNN Service Development Awards in December. The training has worked well so far, but it has a short shelf-life due to the fast pace of change in AI. Therefore, we will continue to review our training offer and keep an eye out for any more areas where we could support library users around AI.

I’m always keen to find out about what other Knowledge & Library Services are doing in this area and share experiences – if you’d like to chat about AI training, get in touch!

Naomi Majek

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust (with Tameside & Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust)