101 Learning Series
Build Confidence. Develop Skills. Get Started.
Everyone has to start somewhere. Ashford Global’s 101 Learning Series provides practical, instructor-led learning for people who want to develop new skills, strengthen their professional capabilities, or explore an unfamiliar subject.
From business and project management to IT service management, artificial intelligence, communication, and leadership, these courses break down essential concepts into approachable, practical learning experiences.
Whether you are beginning a new career, expanding your responsibilities, or simply looking to become more effective at work, our 101 courses help you build a foundation you can put to use.
Explore Our 101 Courses
Explore practical learning opportunities across business, project management, IT service management, artificial intelligence, communication, and leadership. Each course introduces essential concepts and develops skills you can apply in your professional life.
Business & Professional Skills
Build business knowledge, strengthen professional capabilities, and develop practical skills for managing projects, solving problems, and improving how work gets done.
Business 101: Practical Business Essentials Workshop
Build a practical understanding of how businesses operate, make decisions, and achieve their goals. This workshop introduces essential business concepts, organizational functions, financial fundamentals, strategic planning, customer value, and operational performance. Explore how different parts of a business work together, how decisions affect organizational outcomes, and how to approach everyday business challenges with greater confidence. Designed for professionals who are new to business concepts or want to strengthen their business knowledge. No prior business experience is required.
IT & Service Management (ITSM)
Understand how IT services operate, how support teams function, and how organizations manage technology services.
ITSM 101: Hands-On IT Service Management Workshop
Build a practical foundation in IT Service Management through live instructor-led training. Explore essential ITSM concepts, terminology, service management roles, the Service Desk, common practices, metrics, service levels, priorities, and how the different elements of ITSM work together.
Through practical examples and exercises, participants develop an understanding of how IT services are managed, supported, and improved in real-world organizations.
Artificial Intelligence & AI Skills Training
Build confidence using modern AI tools and learn how to communicate with them effectively.
AI 101: Hands-On Artificial Intelligence Workshop
Build practical AI skills and confidence with Ashford Global’s hands-on AI 101 workshop. Explore how generative AI works, learn to write effective prompts, and practice using tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for everyday tasks. Designed for beginners, this instructor-led course introduces AI concepts through practical examples and guided exercises, helping you apply AI more effectively in your personal and professional life. No prior AI experience is required.
Other Training Options & Resources
Looking for additional ways to develop your skills or train your team? Ashford Global offers customized group training and free educational resources to support continued professional development across a range of subjects.
Private Group Training
Train your team together with private training tailored to your organization. Choose virtual or in-person delivery and coordinate training directly with Ashford Global.
Whether your team needs business skills, project management, ITSM, AI, or professional development, Ashford Global can help you identify training that supports your objectives.
Knowledge Center
Explore free articles, guides, and practical resources from Ashford Global IT. Browse by subject to find ITIL, ITSM, AI, project management, cybersecurity, and other professional development topics.
Why Train With Ashford Global?
Flexible Training Options
Choose the training format that works best for you or your organization. Ashford Global offers live virtual and in-person training designed to accommodate different learning needs and schedules.
Practical Learning & Professional Development
Our 101 courses combine clear instruction, practical examples, and engaging exercises to help you develop skills you can apply in your professional and everyday work.
Experienced Instructors
Learn from experienced professionals who bring real-world knowledge and practical insights into the classroom, making new concepts easier to understand and apply.
Learning That Connects to Real-World Needs
Our training goes beyond explaining concepts. We help you understand how new knowledge and skills apply to workplace situations, professional responsibilities, and everyday challenges.
Training That Fits Your Needs
Whether you’re developing your own skills or looking to strengthen capabilities across your team, Ashford Global offers practical learning opportunities designed around your goals.
Private Group Training
Develop Your Team’s Skills Together
Invest in your team’s professional development with private training from Ashford Global. Our instructor-led courses provide practical learning experiences that help employees build knowledge, strengthen capabilities, and apply new skills in the workplace.
Choose from subjects including business, project management, IT service management, artificial intelligence, communication, and leadership. Training can be arranged in virtual or in-person formats to accommodate your team’s objectives and schedule.
Contact Ashford Global to discuss your training goals, course options, and scheduling.
Explore Private Group Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about the 101 Learning Series? Find answers to common questions about our courses, learning format, and training options below.
101 Learning Series FAQ
GENERAL — 101 LEARNING SERIES
1. What is the 101 Learning Series?
The Ashford Global 101 Learning Series offers practical, instructor-led courses that introduce essential concepts and skills across business, technology, artificial intelligence, and professional development.
2. Who should take a 101 course?
101 courses are designed for people who are new to a subject, developing new capabilities, changing career directions, or looking to strengthen knowledge they already have. You do not need to be new to the workforce to benefit from a 101 course.
3. Is a 101 course only for beginners?
No. While 101 courses provide an accessible introduction to a subject, they are not limited to people with little or no experience. Experienced professionals may discover terminology, concepts, approaches, or perspectives they have not previously encountered.
4. Is the 101 Learning Series for complete beginners?
Yes. The 101 Learning Series is designed to be accessible to people who are completely new to a subject. Courses introduce fundamental concepts and practical skills without assuming extensive prior knowledge.
5. Can I take a 101 course if I know absolutely nothing about the subject?
Yes. That is one of the purposes of a 101 course. The training provides an organized starting point and introduces the terminology, concepts, and practical applications needed to begin understanding the subject.
6. Do I need prior experience to take a 101 course?
No. Our 101 courses are designed to introduce subjects in an approachable, structured way. Individual course requirements may vary, but prior experience is generally not required.
7. Can experienced professionals benefit from a 101 course?
Yes. Experience is valuable, but no one knows everything about a subject. An experienced professional may already be familiar with much of a course while still discovering new concepts, terminology, techniques, or perspectives during the training.
8. Can I learn something new even if I already have years of experience?
Absolutely. You don’t know what you don’t know. Even professionals with many years of experience may encounter a concept, formal definition, framework, technique, or perspective they have never encountered before.
9. What if I already know some of the material?
That is perfectly fine. A 101 course may reinforce concepts you already understand while introducing new information, terminology, approaches, or perspectives. The goal is not to assume that every learner starts at exactly the same level.
10. What does “101” mean?
“101” traditionally refers to an introductory or foundational level of learning. At Ashford Global, 101 means building a practical foundation while recognizing that learners may come with very different levels of experience.
11. Can a 101 course help me fill gaps in my knowledge?
Yes. A 101 course can reinforce what you already know while exposing gaps, clarifying concepts, and introducing information you may not have encountered through your professional experience.
12. Can a 101 course help me discover things I didn’t know I didn’t know?
Yes. No matter how much experience you have, there can be concepts, terminology, techniques, or perspectives you have simply never encountered. A 101 course provides an opportunity to discover those gaps and build on what you already know.
13. Is 101 training based on practical experience or formal concepts?
Both. Our courses combine formal concepts and terminology with practical examples, exercises, and workplace applications. This helps learners connect what they have experienced in the workplace with the formal concepts behind it.
14. How is a 101 course different from simply learning through experience?
Experience teaches you through real situations, decisions, successes, and mistakes. A 101 course adds structured learning, formal terminology, established concepts, practical frameworks, and guided examples that may not be encountered through experience alone.
15. Why learn the formal definition of something I already know how to do?
Formal definitions and terminology can help you communicate more precisely, recognize established practices, understand professional literature, and connect your experience to broader concepts. You may already know how to do something without knowing the formal language used to describe it.
16. Can I take a 101 course if I am changing careers?
Yes. A 101 course can provide a practical starting point when you are exploring a new career area or developing skills for a different type of role.
17. Can I take a 101 course simply because I want to understand a new subject?
Yes. You do not need a specific career objective to benefit from introductory training. A 101 course can be a practical way to explore a subject, understand the fundamentals, and determine how the knowledge may be useful to you.
18. What can I expect to learn in an eight-hour 101 workshop?
You can expect a structured introduction to the subject, essential terminology and concepts, practical examples, guided exercises, and opportunities to apply what you learn. The specific topics and activities vary by course.
19. Are the 101 workshops practical or primarily theoretical?
Our workshops emphasize practical learning through examples, guided exercises, realistic scenarios, and techniques relevant to everyday professional and workplace situations.
20. Are Ashford Global 101 courses instructor-led?
Yes. Ashford Global delivers instructor-led training that combines structured instruction, practical examples, and exercises designed to help participants understand and apply what they learn.
21. Are 101 courses available virtually or in person?
Training is available through live virtual and in-person delivery, depending on the course and scheduling arrangements.
22. Will I receive practical exercises rather than just lectures?
Yes. The 101 workshops emphasize hands-on learning, practical examples, guided exercises, and realistic scenarios rather than relying solely on lecture-based instruction.
23. How do I choose the right 101 course for my goals?
Consider the subject you want to learn, your current responsibilities, and the skills you want to develop. Each course introduces a specific area of knowledge and provides a practical starting point for further professional development.
BUSINESS 101 — PRACTICAL BUSINESS ESSENTIALS
24. What is Business 101?
Business 101 is a practical introduction to essential business concepts, terminology, organizational functions, financial fundamentals, strategic planning, customer value, operational performance, and how different parts of a business work together.
25. Who should take Business 101?
Business 101 is useful for people who are new to business concepts, professionals entering a business-related role, career changers, and experienced professionals who want to strengthen or formalize their understanding of business fundamentals.
26. Is Business 101 for someone who has never studied business?
Yes. Business 101 provides an accessible introduction to essential business concepts and does not assume that learners have previously studied business.
27. Can I take Business 101 if I have no business experience?
Yes. No prior business experience is required. The course is designed to introduce essential concepts in a structured and practical way.
28. Do I need a business degree to take Business 101?
No. A business degree is not required. Business 101 is designed to make essential business concepts accessible to professionals regardless of their educational background.
29. Can experienced business professionals benefit from Business 101?
Yes. Business experience is valuable, but no professional has encountered every concept or approach within the field. Business 101 can reinforce familiar knowledge while introducing terminology, formal definitions, concepts, frameworks, or perspectives that may be new—even to experienced professionals.
30. Is Business 101 useful if I’ve worked in business for years?
Yes. Years of experience do not necessarily mean you have encountered every business concept, framework, or formal definition. Business 101 can help connect practical experience with formal business knowledge and may introduce ideas you have not previously encountered.
31. Why take Business 101 if I already know how to run a business?
Because experience and formal knowledge are not the same thing. You may have years of practical experience and still encounter concepts, terminology, or established approaches that you have never formally learned. Business 101 can also help connect individual experiences to broader business concepts.
32. What if I already know how businesses operate?
That experience is valuable. Business 101 does not assume that experienced professionals know nothing. Instead, it provides an opportunity to reinforce existing knowledge, put formal terminology around familiar activities, and potentially discover concepts or perspectives you have not encountered.
33. Can Business 101 teach me something I do not already know?
It can. No matter how much experience you have, there is always the possibility of encountering something new. A single new concept, definition, framework, or perspective can make an eight-hour course worthwhile.
34. Can Business 101 help me understand the formal terminology behind things I already do?
Yes. Many professionals learn business through experience without necessarily learning the formal terminology used to describe what they do. Business 101 can connect practical experience with established business concepts and terminology.
35. What is the difference between business experience and business education?
Business experience teaches you through real situations and decisions. Business education introduces formal concepts, terminology, frameworks, and established practices. Combining the two can provide a broader understanding of how organizations operate.
36. Can Business 101 help me discover gaps in my business knowledge?
Yes. A structured review of business fundamentals can reveal concepts or areas you have not previously encountered. It can also help you identify where your practical experience is strong and where additional knowledge may be useful.
37. What business concepts should every professional understand?
Useful business fundamentals include how organizations create value, how decisions affect performance, how financial considerations influence business decisions, how functions work together, and how organizations plan and achieve objectives.
38. Can Business 101 help me understand how different parts of a business work together?
Yes. Business 101 explores how areas such as operations, finance, strategy, customer value, and organizational functions interact and how decisions in one area can affect other parts of the organization.
39. Can Business 101 help me become more effective at work?
Yes. Understanding business fundamentals can help you see how your work contributes to organizational goals, communicate more effectively with other functions, and make better-informed workplace decisions.
ITSM 101 — HANDS-ON IT SERVICE MANAGEMENT
40. What is ITSM 101?
ITSM 101 is a practical introduction to IT Service Management. The course covers essential ITSM concepts, terminology, service management roles, the Service Desk, common practices, metrics, service levels, priorities, and how the different elements of ITSM work together.
41. Who should take ITSM 101?
ITSM 101 is appropriate for people who are completely new to IT service management as well as IT professionals, support personnel, managers, and other professionals who want a stronger understanding of how technology services are managed and supported.
42. Is ITSM 101 for complete beginners?
Yes. ITSM 101 is designed to provide an accessible introduction to IT service management and does not require learners to already understand ITSM terminology or practices.
43. Can I take ITSM 101 if I have no IT experience?
Yes. ITSM 101 can be a starting point for people with little or no IT experience who want to understand the fundamentals of how technology services are managed and supported.
44. Do I need previous ITSM training?
No. Previous ITSM training is not generally required for an introductory ITSM 101 course. The course introduces the essential concepts and terminology needed to understand the subject.
45. Do I need an IT background to take ITSM 101?
No. ITSM 101 is designed to introduce the concepts and terminology needed to understand how IT services are managed, supported, and improved. You do not have to be an experienced IT professional to participate.
46. Is ITSM only for people who work in IT?
No. ITSM can be relevant to anyone involved with technology-enabled services, including managers, business professionals, service providers, support teams, and people who work with IT organizations.
47. What is IT service management in simple terms?
IT service management, or ITSM, is the structured approach organizations use to plan, deliver, support, and improve technology-enabled services.
48. What is the difference between IT and ITSM?
IT generally refers to information technology, including the technology, systems, and infrastructure an organization uses. ITSM focuses on how technology-enabled services are planned, delivered, supported, and improved.
49. Is ITSM difficult to learn?
ITSM terminology and concepts can be unfamiliar at first, but introductory training provides a structured way to understand how the different practices, roles, services, and processes fit together.
50. Is ITSM 101 useful for experienced IT professionals?
Yes. Experienced IT professionals may already understand many of the activities covered in the course while still encountering formal concepts, terminology, practices, metrics, or approaches they have not previously studied.
51. What if I already work in a Service Desk or IT operations?
Your experience can make the course especially relatable. ITSM 101 can help connect the activities you perform in your role with the formal concepts, terminology, practices, and relationships used in service management.
52. Can ITSM 101 help me understand the formal concepts behind things I already do?
Yes. Many IT professionals learn through hands-on experience. ITSM 101 can provide the formal terminology and concepts that describe activities, responsibilities, relationships, and practices you may already encounter in your work.
53. Can ITSM 101 help me discover gaps in what I already know?
Yes. Experience with IT operations or support does not necessarily mean you have encountered every ITSM concept, terminology, practice, or approach. Training can reinforce familiar knowledge while exposing areas you may not have previously explored.
54. What should I learn first if I want to understand IT service management?
Start with the fundamentals: what an IT service is, how services are supported and delivered, the roles involved in service management, common practices, service levels, priorities, and how these elements work together.
55. Can ITSM skills help me advance my career?
ITSM knowledge can help professionals better understand how IT services operate and how technology supports organizational goals. It can be particularly useful for people working in service desks, IT operations, service management, leadership, consulting, and related roles.
AI 101 — HANDS-ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
56. What is AI 101?
AI 101 is a hands-on introduction to artificial intelligence designed to help learners understand modern AI tools, generative AI, effective prompting, and practical applications for everyday personal and professional tasks.
57. Who should take AI 101?
AI 101 is designed for complete beginners, professionals who want practical AI skills, and people who already use AI but want to understand more of its capabilities and applications.
58. Is AI 101 for complete beginners?
Yes. AI 101 is designed to be accessible to people who have little or no previous experience with artificial intelligence or AI tools.
59. Can I take AI 101 if I have never used ChatGPT or another AI tool?
Yes. You do not need previous experience with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or other AI tools. The course provides an introduction to AI and practical opportunities to learn how these tools can be used.
60. Can I learn AI if I have no technical experience?
Yes. AI 101 is designed for learners without an advanced technical background. You do not need to be a programmer, AI expert, or technology professional to begin learning practical AI skills.
61. Do I need to know how to code to learn AI?
No. Many practical AI skills do not require programming. AI 101 focuses on understanding and using modern AI tools, writing effective prompts, evaluating results, and applying AI to real-world tasks.
62. Is AI difficult to learn if I am not technical?
Not necessarily. Many practical AI applications can be learned without an advanced technical background. AI 101 introduces the concepts and tools in an approachable, hands-on format.
63. Is AI 101 useful if I already use ChatGPT?
Yes. Using an AI tool and understanding how to use it effectively are not necessarily the same thing. AI 101 can introduce prompting techniques, practical applications, evaluation methods, and capabilities you may not have encountered.
64. What if I already use AI at work?
Your existing experience can be a useful starting point. AI 101 can reinforce what you already know while introducing additional capabilities, techniques, applications, and ways of thinking about AI that you may not have encountered.
65. Can AI 101 show me things I didn’t know AI could do?
Yes. AI capabilities continue to evolve, and many users are familiar with only a portion of what modern AI tools can do. AI 101 provides an opportunity to explore practical capabilities, techniques, and applications you may not have encountered before.