AI for HR: Practical skills you can use immediately

Featuring Colin Smith, Digital Transformation & HR Expert

A Working Session, Not a Roadmap

AI is changing the way people work and HR professionals are feeling the pressure to keep up. In this practical, hands-on session, digital transformation expert Colin Smith cuts through the noise and shows you exactly how to start using AI in your day-to-day HR work, right now. No theory. No ten-year vision. Just real skills you can apply before the week is out.

What we’ll cover

• Where most HR teams are today, and why the AI gap is widening faster than you think
• What good looks like: real HR teams using AI in practice and what's actually changed for them
• The employee lifecycle map and the highest-value entry points for AI in HR
• How to build a complete AI workflow for a real HR task, step by step
• How to turn a one-off workflow into a repeatable AI assistant your team can use again and again
• How to test and stress-test your AI assistant with appropriate boundaries in place

What you’ll gain

By the end of this session, you’ll be able to:

• Explain why AI capability is becoming a professional differentiator in HR
• Identify where AI can save you meaningful time in your existing workflow
• Build a structured AI workflow for a real HR task from scratch
• Configure a basic AI assistant with appropriate boundaries, safely and professionally
• Apply what you've built immediately, no additional tools or budget required

About Colin Smith

Colin has spent his career at the intersection of people, learning, and technology. Before moving into L&D consultancy, he held senior roles at LinkedIn, Yahoo and AOL. He advises and instructs the CIPD on AI and data-driven people practice, and has built and led facilitator training programmes across the profession. He has designed and delivered programmes for Google, Walmart, Colgate-Palmolive and Shiseido.

About Avado

Avado is a leading provider of CIPD qualifications in the UK and Middle East. For over a decade, we have partnered with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) to empower HR and L&D professionals to excel in their careers. With a proven track record, Avado has guided over 50,000 learners towards their professional goals, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to develop and grow.​