Build Practical AI Skills for Work

AI Essentials

Learn how to use AI tools to save time, improve your work, earn a digital certificate, and build job-ready projects in just 6 weeks— Free!

6 Weeks
10 hours/week

Apply Now

Retail Associate Operations Support Specialist

Why AI Essentials?

In today’s workplace, AI isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a practical tool being used across industries. With this surge in adoption, professionals who know how to use AI confidently have an edge.

In-demand Skills: Organizations large and small are investing in AI-enabled workflows—automating routine tasks, improving communications, and using data more effectively. That means people who can apply AI tools, write effective prompts, and integrate AI into everyday work are increasingly sought after.

Career Opportunities: With the AI Essentials credential and portfolio project, you open doors to roles such as Office Administrator with AI fluency, Workflow Coordinator using AI automation, or Customer Support Specialist enhanced by AI tools. These hybrid + AI roles combine foundational professional skills with emerging technical capability.

Flexible: The program is designed to fit into busy schedules—part-time, online, and built around your life. You don’t need a technical background. You need curiosity, dedication, and the desire to build skills that save time and boost your productivity at work.

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Get started at $0

This program is free to join. Get job-ready AI essential skills at no cost.

A Merit America learner receiving one-on-one career coaching and job placement support.

Learn in-demand skills
Land a great job
Free to join – limited seats
Support the next class

Work Life Balance

Your third-party coursework and Merit America career coaching services are online. Live meetings are only 3-5 hours per week. You can complete the coursework in-between work shifts, on weekends – whatever works for your life.

A woman sits on the floor, working her remote job in tech.

Monday, January 10

Merit America Program

At Work 8am – 3pm
Online Coursework 3pm – 5pm
Daycare pick-up 5:15pm
Family Dinner 6pm
1:1 Career Coaching 8pm

Work with a team dedicated to your success

Meet regularly with a career coach and squad of your peers to keep you on track. After you finish, you’ll join a network of thousands of Merit America alumni.

Meet your support team

Joining…

Michael, Career Coach
How’s your coursework going this week?
Cora
I’m really struggling with my resume…
Michael, Career Coach
You’ve got this! Let me connect you with our job success coach, Teresa.

Also, something to look forward to: you’re only one week away from completing your Google Certificate!

Get the AI skills employers are looking for

AI foundations

Principals of AI

Build essential AI literacy through hands-on practice with today’s most widely used AI tools. Learn how AI works in simple, practical terms—its strengths, limitations, and responsible-use guidelines. Explore real examples of how organizations use AI to streamline communication, organize information, and support everyday workflows. You’ll practice foundational skills like writing effective prompts, refining outputs, checking for accuracy, and integrating AI into tasks you already do at work.

Practical Skills

Applied Tools & Workflow Skills

Develop real workplace confidence by applying AI tools to tasks you’ll encounter in administrative, customer support, operations, and business roles. Gain experience using AI to draft emails, summarize documents, create step-by-step workflows, generate customer responses, and organize data. Learn prompt patterns for communication, research, analysis, troubleshooting, and report creation. Through weekly challenges, you’ll build repeatable workflows that help you work faster, communicate more clearly, and solve problems with AI as your partner.

Professional Skills

Job-Readiness

Building a career with AI-enhanced skills takes more than technical know-how—Merit America’s career coaching prepares you for the full journey. You’ll complete a real workplace AI project you can showcase in a professional portfolio, demonstrating how you improved a task or workflow using AI. You’ll receive personalized guidance to craft AI-enhanced resumes and cover letters, learn how to talk about your AI skills in interviews, and practice responding to common employer questions. You’ll graduate ready to communicate your value and navigate the job market with confidence.

Our alums work for the world’s top tech companies

A women scratches her head while researching how to break into tech.

Two career changers view Merit America's curriculum

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the training in-person, online or both?

The training is 100 percent online, but it’s interactive. You will complete your program on the Canvas platform. You will interact with your squad and access career coaching services through the Merit America platform. Both provide a blended online learning environment where you will participate in live virtual meetings and complete coursework independently online through industry-recognized partners, like Google.

You will leverage learning tools such as the widely used digital workplace platforms and software, including: Zoom, Slack, Google Suite, and our customized Merit America Learner Portal.

What are the admission requirements?

To be eligible for any of Merit America’s programs, the following must be true:

You have a high school diploma or GED.
Associates and bachelor’s degree holders are welcome.
You do not have a graduate degree and are not currently enrolled in a graduate program
You are a resident of the U.S. and authorized to work in the U.S.
- DACA and Temporary Residents must have a status/visa that does not expire within six months of the Immersion start date.
- Residents of U.S. territories are eligible for our program.
You are 18 years of age or older.
You will be seeking full-time employment upon completion of the program.

What does a typical week look like at Merit America?

What kind of support will I receive during the course?

When you join Merit America, there’s a team dedicated to your success.

Your program career coach helps you build the professional and job search skills you need to succeed in today’s market—from refining your resume and preparing for interviews to networking effectively and navigating job offers. They’ll also work with you to chart a clear career path aligned with your goals.

Your squad is made of a talented people just like you, and you’ll work alongside them to complete coursework and develop projects.

Your technical advisor is available to direct you to appropriate resources if you’re struggling with your Google IT Support certificate coursework.

Your alumni career coach provides continued support after you complete the program—including help identifying opportunities that match your goals, refining applications, and preparing for interviews.

Can you guarantee me a job?

We can’t guarantee job placement or salaries, but we do provide you with a structured training curriculum, professional career development, and dedicated job-placement support. Because of this, the majority of job-seeking alumni are placed in new jobs within three months of completion.

But we can guarantee you won’t have to pay if you still don’t earn at least $40k within two years of completing the Immersion phase of your program, as defined in our Merit America Guarantee.

What does the AI Essentials program cover?

This program focuses on helping busy professionals gain practical AI experience.

You will learn entry-level skills, including:

the fundamentals and limitations of AI
how to use various AI tools
articulating your AI expertise to potential employers

You will also hone your professional skills and chart your career roadmap with the help of Merit America career coaches.

Upon completing the program, you will be prepared to enter roles that take advantage of AI tools.