SectorAI Upskilling

SectorAI Upskilling is a Portuguese initiative led by Code for All designed to equip professionals and organisations across multiple economic sectors with practical artificial intelligence skills. The project was created in response to a growing challenge: as AI rapidly transforms the global economy, many organisations struggle to adopt AI technologies due to a shortage of skilled professionals and resistance to change, while workers face increasing pressure to adapt to new digital tools and workflows.

Get to know the initiative

To address this challenge, Code for All developed a portfolio of applied AI training programmes (15–35 hours) tailored to the needs of different sectors. Rather than focusing on purely theoretical education, the initiative emphasises hands-on learning: participants learn to use AI tools, generative AI systems, and AI-powered automation platforms to solve real operational challenges within their sector.

Courses cover a wide range of professional contexts, including AI for Communication and Marketing, Legal, Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, Sales, Sustainability, Education, Psychology, Product and Automation, and Software Development, as well as a general AI course open to professionals from any sector. Participants learn to automate tasks, analyse data, generate content, build AI-powered workflows, and integrate generative AI tools into their professional activities.

The programmes are delivered through short online formats, synchronous or asynchronous, allowing professionals to quickly acquire relevant competencies while remaining active in the workforce. Course content is developed in partnership with industry leaders, professional associations, and subject-matter experts, ensuring strong sector alignment.

Progress made so far

Since its launch in July 2024, the initiative has trained more than 3,000 professionals across sectors including management, marketing, legal, engineering, administration, and finance. Code for All has also recently launched a course on AI Agents, enabling more advanced learners to design autonomous AI workflows and intelligent automation systems.

A key element of the initiative's accessibility model is its integration with the Portuguese government's Cheque-Formação + Digital voucher programme, which reimburses training costs for workforce upskilling in digital competencies. Code for All actively supports participants in accessing this funding and has already helped more than 2,000 professionals successfully apply for the programme. The courses cost €750 per person, but this mechanism ensures that professionals from different sectors and financial backgrounds can benefit from AI upskilling opportunities.

More information about the initiative and available courses is accessible on the Code for All website.

Why is this a good practice?

The initiative targets professionals across multiple sectors who need practical AI skills to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital economy, in particular employees in Portugal working in low AI adoption sectors, workers adapting to AI-driven workflows, and companies aiming to upskill their workforce. Courses require no prior technical experience and are open to participants from different professions and career stages.

The model is financially sustainable through a hybrid approach combining corporate training, workforce upskilling, and institutional partnerships. Its modular structure enables efficient scaling across sectors and regions, and the programme is designed for expansion to other European markets. As demand for AI skills grows, new sector-specific courses and partnerships will support broader reach and long-term impact.