University of Montana
Technology, Real-world AI, and Learning

Free workshop series. Bring a real work problem. Spend an hour with AI tools. Leave with it solved.

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About the Series
AI tools are everywhere, but most people haven't found a way to make them useful for their actual work. TRAIL bridges that gap: not with lectures or demos, but by putting you to work on your own problems while we work right alongside you.

A Gap Worth Closing

There's a real distance between hearing about AI and knowing how to use it at work. Most training talks about what's possible. This series helps you actually do it, with your own work, in real time.

We Work Alongside You

You bring a real task: a stuck report, messy data, a plan that needs sharpening. We don't present from the front of the room. We sit down with you and help you make progress on it.

Leave With Something Done

Every session is designed so you walk out with a finished deliverable and a process you can repeat on your own. The goal is confidence and capability, not dependency on any one tool.

This series is for you if...
"I keep meaning to try AI but haven't started."
"I have a report that's been sitting half-finished for weeks."
"I have data but no time to dig into it."
"I run a small business and need help with marketing, ops, or comms."
"I have an idea I want to pressure-test before I pitch it."
2026 Sessions
Five Workshops.
Five Real
Challenges.

Each session targets a different type of work problem. Attend one or all five. They stand alone. Click any session for full details.

When
Second Tuesday · 1:00 PM
Where
Missoula College River Campus, Room 122
1205 E Broadway St, Missoula, MT 59802
Series
May – September 2026
Cost
Free & Open
May
12
101 · Foundations
Bring Your Curiosity
"I've been meaning to try AI tools but haven't started."
Jun
09
Productivity
Bring Your Stuck Work Task
"I have a report that's been sitting half-finished for weeks."
Jul
14
Analysis
Bring Your Data
"I have spreadsheets and reports but no time to dig into them."
Aug
11
Small Business
Bring Your Small Business Problem
"I need help with marketing, operations, or customer comms."
Sep
08
Strategy
Bring Your Next Big Idea
"I have an initiative I want to develop and pressure-test."
How It Works
Show Up.
Do the Work.
Leave With
Something.

Every session follows the same structure. You work on your own material, not a practice exercise. Facilitators model their process so you can replicate it.

10min
Framing & Tools Overview
Topic introduction and AI tool orientation. Enough context to get started. No lectures.
45min
Hands-On Working Session
The core of the hour. You work on your problem. Facilitators work alongside you. This is where AI skills become muscle memory.
5min
Debrief & Q&A
What worked, what surprised people, what to try next. Five minutes, no fluff.
Sponsors & Partners
Built With Montana.
For Montana.

Contact & Partnerships

We're open to additional partnership structures: sponsored sessions, custom topics for specific cohorts, or integration with existing programming.

Zach Rossmiller
CIO & Associate Vice President for Information Technology
University of Montana
umt.edu
Get in Touch
Ready to
Hit the
Trail?

Registration is free. Each session stands alone. Attend one or all five. Bring a laptop and a problem worth solving. No prior AI experience required.

Which session(s) interest you?