AI for the Rest of Us: West Sussex Launches Government-Backed Bootcamp for Businesses That Don’t Speak Robot

By the time most small businesses finish watching a YouTube tutorial on ChatGPT, it’s already out of date. The latest solution? Train someone in-house – properly, affordably, and with government support.

From law firms in Littlehampton to manufacturers in Midhurst, businesses across West Sussex are quietly wondering the same thing: “Are we already behind on AI?”

The answer, depending on who you ask, ranges from “not quite” to “possibly forever.” But one thing is certain – the latest government-backed initiative might be the most practical step yet for SMEs who want to do more than just dip a toe into automation.

Launched this September, the West Sussex AI Bootcamp is a 12-week, part-time programme designed to train internal AI Champions – team members who can lead the charge in adopting AI tools for real business problems, not just headlines.

The programme is the result of a successful bid by TechNative Digital in partnership with the locally respected AI transformation consultancy AI Potential, known for its no-nonsense, human-first approach to helping businesses make sense of generative tech.

And the best part is that the majority of the training costs are funded.

Skills First, Hype Later

Unlike the flood of quick-fix webinars and dubious LinkedIn gurus, this Bootcamp is designed to give participants a proper grounding in AI literacy – how to think with AI, how to use it responsibly, and how to embed it into existing workflows without triggering a company-wide existential crisis.

Participants will learn to automate repetitive admin, speed up quoting and reporting, and experiment with platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Zapier. But this isn’t a software training course – it’s a mindset shift.

The team behind it argue that AI is a skill, not a tool. And that’s why this training doesn’t stop at “prompt crafting” or fun demos – it walks participants through a capstone project tailored to their own business. The result? A confident, capable in-house champion who knows how to spot opportunities, pilot solutions, and avoid the kind of DIY disasters that usually end in “we tried AI once…”

Who’s It For?

The Bootcamp is open to businesses across West Sussex – including Chichester, Crawley, Horsham, Worthing, and everything in between. The ideal participant might be a time-strapped operations lead, a naturally curious office manager, or a leader who’s tired of being the bottleneck.

Applicants needn’t be ‘techy’. In fact, the programme is deliberately designed for businesses using standard digital tools like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, but not yet getting the full benefit of AI.

Sectors already showing strong interest include:

• Professional services (legal, accountancy, marketing)

• Light manufacturing and engineering

• Retail, e-commerce and hospitality

• Health, care and wellbeing services

• Trades and construction – especially those juggling paperwork with   actual work

Why This Approach Works

Statistics show over 70% of GenAI projects fail. Often, the reasons are entirely human: no clear strategy, no internal leadership, and a team that’s unsure whether to embrace or avoid the robots entirely.

This Bootcamp takes a different view. Instead of hiring expensive consultants or fumbling through endless experimentation, it builds internal confidence and capacity, from the ground up.

As one of the mentors put it, “Most businesses are stuck in the AI version of IKEA instructions – they know what it’s meant to look like, they just don’t know what all the bits do.”

Details, Deadlines and the Fine Print

The first cohort begins this September, with a mix of online and in-person sessions designed to fit around the reality of running a business – not disrupt it.

Thanks to funding from the Department for Education and West Sussex County Council, the programme is heavily subsidised, making it one of the most accessible routes to building real AI capability inside your team.

Spaces are limited, and early interest suggests they’ll go fast. So if you’re even half-considering it, now’s the time.

Applications are open through TechNative Digital. Each business is invited to nominate one team member – not a data scientist, but someone grounded, curious, and ready to lead the way. The kind of person who knows how things work (or don’t) and isn’t afraid to ask better questions – with AI as their new sidekick.

AI’s not coming. It’s already here.

This is your chance to make it work for you and your business.

Nominate your internal AI Champion and join the businesses across West Sussex who are getting ahead – not left behind.

For more information or to apply, visit:

https://technativedigital.com/#/course/artificial-intelligence