ReAct+ funded, 5-day course

Azure AI Engineer course
build AI on Microsoft's cloud.

A five-day, hands-on course in Cardiff or live online. If you live in Wales and have been made redundant or are under notice, the Welsh Government's ReAct+ grant can pay the full £1,500 fee.

Ask about a funded place → How funding works
Duration
5 days
Level
Intermediate
Format
Cardiff or online
Course fee
£1,500
Your course, costed
Azure AI Engineer, 5 days£1,500
ReAct+ vocational training grant−£1,500
You pay£0

When your grant is approved before the course starts. ReAct+ can also help with travel and childcare costs while you train.

// About the course

What the course covers.

Many organisations in Wales, including councils, health boards and larger employers, run on Microsoft. That makes Azure AI skills particularly employable here. This course teaches you to build, deploy and secure AI solutions on Azure.

You work in a real Azure environment, covering vision, language and document services, OpenAI models on Azure, and AI search. The course also covers the skills measured by Microsoft's Azure AI engineer certification, so you are ready to prepare for the exam afterwards.

  • Azure portal
  • Azure AI services
  • Azure OpenAI
  • Azure AI Search
  • Microsoft Entra ID
  • Azure Monitor

Who it's for

  • IT support and infrastructure staff moving into AI
  • Developers working in Microsoft environments
  • People aiming for a Microsoft Azure AI certification

Before you start

Basic Python and general IT experience.

// Outcomes

By Friday, you'll be able to

  • Set up Azure resources for AI with sensible cost controls
  • Use Azure services for vision, language, speech and documents
  • Deploy and call OpenAI models on Azure
  • Build retrieval over your own data with Azure AI Search
  • Secure AI solutions with identity and content safety
  • Monitor usage, performance and spend
// Course outline

Five days, day by day.

Each day mixes short explanations with hands-on labs. Day five is for finishing and presenting your project.

  1. Day 1

    Azure for AI

    • Subscriptions and resource groups
    • Identity with Microsoft Entra ID
    • Managing cost
    • Using Azure from Python
  2. Day 2

    Azure AI services

    • Vision and image analysis
    • Language and speech
    • Document intelligence
    • Choosing the right service
  3. Day 3

    OpenAI models on Azure

    • Deploying a model
    • Prompting from code
    • Content safety filters
    • Responsible AI settings
  4. Day 4

    AI search over your data

    • Indexing documents
    • Vector and hybrid search
    • Retrieval-augmented generation
    • Grounded answers with citations
  5. Day 5

    Secure and deploy

    • Keys, managed identity and networking
    • Monitoring and logging
    • Certification preparation guidance
    • Project demo
Your portfolio project

An internal knowledge assistant

Searches a set of organisational documents with Azure AI Search, answers questions with an OpenAI model on Azure, and runs behind proper identity and content safety controls.

Roles this course prepares you for

  • Junior Azure AI engineer
  • Cloud support engineer
  • AI solutions developer
  • Microsoft technical consultant

What you leave with

A working project in your own GitHub portfolio and an Apex Training Wales certificate of completion.

// ReAct+ funding

How to get your place fully funded.

ReAct+ is a Welsh Government grant for people affected by redundancy. Your Working Wales adviser makes the application, and we give them the course details they need.

  1. Check you're eligible

    Aged 20 or over, living in Wales, with the right to work in the UK, and under notice of redundancy or made redundant in the last six months.

  2. Speak to Working Wales

    Call free on 0800 028 4844 or book an appointment online. Tell your adviser you'd like to take Azure AI Engineer.

  3. We send your course details

    Contact us and we'll provide the course outline and fee your adviser needs for your ReAct+ application.

  4. Start once approved

    When your grant is approved, we confirm your start date. The £1,500 fee is covered, so there's nothing to pay.

Eligibility and grant amounts from Working Wales. Final funding decisions are made by the Welsh Government.

// Common questions

About the course and the funding.

Is the Microsoft exam included?
The exam fee is not included in the course fee. The course covers the skills the certification measures, and we give you guidance on how to prepare and book it.
Do I need my own Azure account?
No. We provide lab environments for the course, and show you how to set up a low-cost account of your own to keep practising afterwards.
Who is eligible for ReAct+ funding?
You must be aged 20 or over, live in Wales and have the right to live and work in the UK. You must also be under formal notice of redundancy, have been made redundant in the last six months, or be an ex-offender or serving a community sentence. A Working Wales adviser confirms your eligibility.
Will I have to pay anything?
The course fee is £1,500, which matches the maximum ReAct+ vocational training grant. If your grant is approved, the grant covers the full fee. Funding must be approved before your course starts.
Can ReAct+ help with travel or childcare?
It can. Alongside the training grant, ReAct+ can provide up to £200 towards costs such as travel and up to £2,100 towards childcare or caring costs while you train. Your Working Wales adviser will tell you what applies to you.
What if I'm not eligible for ReAct+?
You can still take the course. Contact us about paying for the course yourself. Employers can also book any of these courses in-house for their teams.
// Get started

Ready to retrain in AI? Let's check your funding.

Tell us which course you're interested in and your situation. We'll explain the next steps and send your adviser everything they need.

Ask about a funded place → info@apextrainingwales.co.uk