Hello everyone,

Spring is right around the corner, and so are a fresh batch of Extension IT trainings! Whether you’re looking to sharpen your Microsoft Word or Excel skills, take your AI use further, get a Website Editor refresher, or you just want computers to be easy, there’s something here for you.

Online IT Trainings

Unless otherwise noted, all online IT Trainings are the first, second and third Tuesday at 3pm.

Microsoft Excel – March 24 

Pivot tables make you want to pivot out of the room? Sorting remind you of the laundry? Formulas give you PTSD from high school chemistry? In this session we'll cover the essentials in a way that doesn't make your brain hurt. See practical examples you can use right away. Plus: how to use Microsoft Copilot to do a lot of the work for you! Register Now.

Website Editor Training - April 1 at 1 PM

For those who have been approved by their supervisor as website editors – both new editors and those who just need a refresher. We’ll walk through the editor interface, how to make updates, and best practices for keeping pages clean and accurate. Register for this special 1pm Training

Little Things That Make Computers Way Easier – April 7

A fun, fast-paced session full of small tips that save big time—keyboard shortcuts, right-click secrets, maximize the utility of "undo," "copy," and "paste", reveal tool tips hidden in nearly every program, avoid traps in Google search results (yep, they are getting worse!), and how-to make everyday computing smoother. Register Now.

Chatbots 102 – April 14

Move past basic prompts in Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini or ChatGPT. Learn how to build an "AI Agent" using plain language, no computer programming experience needed! Improve your learning with NotebookLM – create a custom podcast, quiz, flashcards and more with data you provide (avoid hallucination traps). How to leverage Copilot inside Word, and Excel. Register Now.

How to Organize Your Files with Cloud and Local Storage – April 21

A practical guide to building a clean, intuitive file system—whether your files live on the Server (Shared Drive), Box, OneDrive, Teams, your computer (probably not a good idea), or all of the above. Learn structures that scale and habits that stick. Register Now.

If you have questions or want help picking the right sessions for your needs, feel free to reach out. I’m always here to support your learning journey!

See you at training,
James Hamilton
IT Training Specialist
University of Illinois Extension

Previous Trainings

Microsoft Word – Recording coming soon

• Download the Accessible Word Template

• Download Breakout Activity 1

• Download Breakout Activity 2

Learn the features that make Word more powerful and efficient. Save time with pre-made (and accessible) Styles – no more manually adjusting font size and style or paragraph spacing! Use the Navigation Pane to quickly move around long word docs. Combine them and make working with long documents so much easier! Make your work computer-crash-proof with AutoSave with Microsoft OneDrive plus the secret way to "autosave" with Box. A great refresher for anyone who wants to clean up their daily workflows.

In-person IT Trainings

• AI in the Workplace - April 22 – Peoria - Details coming soon
• Please take this eight question survey to help guide topics, locations, and formats for in-person trainings this year.

Recorded Trainings 

• Windows 11 – Making the most of it! - View the edited, concise recorded training.
• Outlook – Advanced features to put you ahead - View the edited, concise recorded training.
• Introduction to AI – Copilot and Gemini - View the edited, concise recorded training.

Suggest a training

Have an idea for a training you'd like to see? Please feel free to share your ideas or thoughts with me! I'd be happy to help.

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Archives:
If you are looking for training sessions recorded prior to 2026, please scroll down to the Legacy Archive section.