Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the workplace, but moving from theory to practical application remains a challenge for many. Microsoft’s Copilot Studio Agent Academy is here to change that. This new, free curriculum offers hands-on, self-paced learning designed for everyone, from newcomers to seasoned developers, empowering you to build real, useful AI agents with Microsoft Copilot Studio and bring AI directly into your daily workflow.
Bridging the AI Skills Gap
As AI technology evolves, actionable resources are hard to find. The Agent Academy fills this gap by guiding you through building, deploying, and refining AI agents tailored to real business needs. Instead of just reading about AI, you’ll gain practical skills you can immediately apply within Microsoft 365 environments, making your learning directly relevant to today’s workplace.
Inside the Agent Academy Curriculum
- Recruit (Available Now): Get started with the basics. Learn core concepts, build your first agent, and master logic, topics, and testing. This module is your foundational bootcamp.
- Operative (Coming Soon): Take your skills to the next level by enhancing and extending your agents with more advanced techniques.
- Commander (Launching Early 2026): Delve into Azure integration, security best practices, and enterprise-scale deployments to become an organizational AI expert.
Currently, the Recruit track is live and guides you step-by-step through agent creation, adding generative answers, and publishing to Microsoft Teams. Each module features hands-on labs developed by Microsoft’s Power Platform Advocacy team, ensuring you gain real, applicable experience.
Key Skills You’ll Develop
- Environment Setup: Access and configure Copilot Studio for your projects.
- Agent Building: Use topics and trigger phrases to create your first AI agent.
- Generative Answers: Enable dynamic, knowledge-based responses for richer interactions.
- Publishing: Test and deploy your agent in Microsoft Teams for real-world use.
Completing the Recruit level equips you with job-ready skills that are in high demand, making you more competitive in the market.
Flexible and Accessible for All
Agent Academy is designed for maximum accessibility: it’s free, self-paced, and requires no sign-up or login. Just visit the site and start whenever you’re ready. The curriculum grows with you, whether you’re building your first agent or preparing to scale up for enterprise use.
Earn a Microsoft Credential
To recognize early learners, the first 100 people who complete the Recruit curriculum and follow a few simple steps will earn an official Credly badge. This credential can be showcased on LinkedIn, resumes, and portfolios, helping you stand out to employers. To claim your badge, you’ll need to:
- Fill out the Community Recognition Form
- Complete all lessons in the Agent Academy Recruit Path
- Star the Agent Academy GitHub repository
- Add an issue to the repository with evidence of your completed work
This badge is more than a participation trophy, it’s a verified credential from Microsoft, highlighting your expertise to peers and hiring managers.
Looking Ahead: More Learning Opportunities
Your journey doesn’t stop at Recruit. Microsoft plans to launch video tutorials soon, providing visual guidance to enhance your experience. The Operative and Commander modules, arriving later this year and in early 2026, will help you master even more advanced AI agent capabilities, preparing you for enterprise-level projects and leadership roles.
Ready to Get Started?
Agent Academy isn’t just a learning resource, it’s a mission to bridge the gap between AI’s potential and its real-world impact. Begin your Recruit journey at aka.ms/agent-academy, share your progress with #AgentAcademy, and be among the first to earn a certified Microsoft badge. Your path to becoming an AI builder starts now.
Source
Adapted from: Dev Blogs – Announcing Copilot Studio Agent Academy by April Dunnam
Unlocking AI Skills: Microsoft Copilot Studio Agent Academy Empowers Your Learning Journey