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Hands-On: Customizing LLMs with RAG

Oct. 21 & 22, 2026

RAG bootcamp for AI engineering — Attend the Bootcamp and earn a certificate of completion

Large language models (LLMs) are powerful—but their true value comes from customizing them with your organization’s data. Through two half-days of lectures, demos, and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn how to build and optimize retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems that power real-world AI applications. Led by AI expert Nicolas Decavel-Bueff, you’ll gain hands-on experience with the essential components needed to develop, evaluate, and deploy customized LLM applications. Students who attend both half-days will receive a certificate of completion.

Oct. 21 & 22, 2026

Date

11:00 AM - 2:30 PM CT

Time

Virtual, Live

Format

Top Skills & Outcomes You’ll Walk Away With

Complete both days to earn a certificate of completion.

Engineer Better Prompts

Choose Right Models

Build RAG Pipelines

Measure RAG Performance

Deploy Responsible AI

Register Early for the Best Rate

Save $100 with Early Bird pricing by October 2!

About Your Workshop

Workshop Agenda Anchor Link

Hands-On: Customizing LLMs with RAG

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Level: Beginner to Intermediate

This course will take place on Wednesday October 21 and Thursday October 22nd.

Sessions run from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm PT / 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET and will be recorded.

Large language models (LLMs) have transformed the way organizations interact with their data through natural language. While these models can deliver impressive results right out of the box, their true business potential is unlocked when they are customized to meet specific needs.

This intensive hands-on workshop equips you with the practical skills to implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, empowering your LLMs to access, interpret, and leverage your organization’s unique data assets.

Level: Beginner to Intermediate

This course will take place on Wednesday October 21 and Thursday October 22nd.

Sessions run from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm PT / 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET and will be recorded.

Large language models (LLMs) have transformed the way organizations interact with their data through natural language. While these models can deliver impressive results right out of the box, their true business potential is unlocked when they are customized to meet specific needs.

This intensive hands-on workshop equips you with the practical skills to implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, empowering your LLMs to access, interpret, and leverage your organization’s unique data assets.

Through a series of lectures, demos, and hands-on activities, you will learn to build and optimize a complete RAG pipeline—from selecting the right models and preparing your data to applying effective retrieval strategies and evaluation techniques, while also implementing robust guardrails for responsible AI use. Through interactive labs and real-world case studies, you will explore both foundational concepts and advanced optimizations that make LLMs indispensable in business environments.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll gain hands-on experience with the essential components needed to develop, evaluate, and deploy customized LLM applications that generate measurable business value.

You Will Learn

  • How LLMs function and the practical considerations in model selection
  • The fundamentals of prompt engineering to enhance LLM performance
  • How to build a complete retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipeline
  • Techniques for evaluating and measuring RAG system performance
  • Methods for identifying and resolving common RAG failure points
  • How to implement tracing and guardrails for secure, responsible AI systems
  • Best practices for scoping and executing RAG projects that deliver business value

Geared To

  • Data scientists and engineers deploying LLM applications
  • AI/ML practitioners seeking to enhance their RAG implementation skills
  • Software developers integrating LLMs into business solutions
  • Technical leaders planning LLM implementation strategies
  • Business analysts exploring practical applications of generative AI
  • Anyone ready to move beyond basic LLM usage to create tailored, business-specific AI solutions

Pre-requisites

Workshop exercises will feature pre-written Python code, meant to be run in an online notebook.

The instructor will guide you on how to run the code, but comfort reading code will help.

Laptop Setup:

You must have a computer with the required software installed before the bootcamp.

Note on Corporate Laptops:

This course requires browser access to Google Colab and other web services, as well as the ability to download data files and library files.

If your corporate laptop blocks such activities, we recommend you use a personal device instead.

Machine Requirements:

Windows PC or Mac with:

  • Google Chrome or another web browser
  • Access to Google Drive

Setup:

Laptop preparation is required BEFORE the workshop. Instructions will be available on the seminar site prior to the first session.

There is no time allotted in class for laptop preparation.

Meet Your Instructor

Instructors Anchor Link
 

Nicolas Decavel-Bueff

Senior AI Engineer• Candidly

Nicolas Decavel-Bueff is a senior AI engineer at Candidly, specializing in deploying ethical AI solutions with a focus on large language models (LLMs). Drawing on a mix of open- and closed-source LLMs, he combines metric-driven evaluation with advanced retrieval and agentic techniques. He previously built ChatHue, Behr Paint's customer-facing multimodal chatbot handling roughly 10,000 conversations per month.

Holding a master's in data science from the University of San Francisco, Nicolas empowers users in highly regulated industries to harness AI responsibly.

Why Quality Training Matters

What You Get TDWI YouTube Self-Taught
Interactive, Live Virtual Training Yes No No
Get your questions answered by Experts, not Influencers Yes No No
Digital Coursebook Materials Yes No No
On Demand Session Recordings Yes Yes No
Two Weeks of Follow-Up Support Yes No No
Digital Certificate of Completion from the Leader in Data & AI Education Yes No No

Why Attendees Love Our Training

“This was a lot of fun. A great introduction. Very easy to follow along and the end product is an easily library of several documents that can be referenced as needed in the future.”
T.S.
“Very comprehensive session about Python with detailed examples and clear guidance from the lecturer.”
K.L.
“Dave Langer is a fantastic instructor, and he did an amazing job at making this class a great machine learning starting point. Highly recommended!”
L.H.
“The Workshop style allowed me to leave with work started.”
A.R.
“I liked that the classes were more technical and interactive.”
K.M.
“Learning from professionals in the field, not “presenters” who are just a step ahead of you.”
S.R.
“Excellent course with important information, insights and strategies to implement AI in the business.”
D.C.
“Hands-on experience, not just listening to presenter.”
J.B.
“Learning classes in 3 hr intervals allowed a good amount of time to learn the topic.”
B.D.
“Actionable learning I can bring back to my team.”
S.B.
“Excellent overview, helpful resources, and valuable training.”
D.A.
“Instructors (David Langer) examples and use cases were very practical, relatable and easy to understand.”
G.H.

Pricing & Discounts

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Learn to Customize LLMs with RAG and Deliver Real Business Value.

What You Get

  • Two live 3.5-hour sessions with Nicolas Decavel-Bueff.
  • Lectures, demos, and hands-on labs.
  • Certificate of completion.
  • Pre-written Python notebooks to run and keep.
  • Free "Python Quick Start" pre-course.
  • Both sessions recorded, available for six months on demand.

This Workshop: $599 $499

Save $100 with Early Bird pricing by October 2!
No code needed – check additional discounts below.

Have a team of 3 or more? Contact us at [email protected] for a team training discount.

Additional Discounts

Discounts Anchor Link
  • Team Discount

    When 3–9 people from a single company or government agency register for the conference, the entire team can save 10%! Groups of 10 or more will receive a 20% discount – view below for details on how to save as a team.

  • Alumni Discount

    Have you attended a TDWI event in the past? Join us again – take advantage of the repeat attendee rate and save 10% off your registration with promo code ALUMNI. Subject to TDWI verification.

  • Nonprofit Discounts

    Employees at a registered 501(c)(3) organization may receive a 10% discount when they provide their tax exemption number. Use code NONPROFIT.

  • Member Discount

    All active TDWI Members receive a 10% discount on event registrations. Please visit the member community or reference weekly Membership emails for the promo code you should use to sign up as a member. Membership status will be validated after your registration is processed.

  • Young Professionals Discount

    Professionals under the age of 35 with less than three years of BI/analytics work experience may receive a 10% discount. Use code YPD. Subject to TDWI verification.

  • Student/Faculty Discounts

    Full-time undergraduate and graduate students from an accredited institution who present their qualifying current course registration will receive a 50% discount off the full registration price on admission to the event. Full-time teaching faculty members from an accredited institution may also receive a 50% discount off the full registration price with eligibility verification.

  • Government & Military

    Employees of federal, state, and local governments, or active military and veterans may receive a 10% discount by using code GOV. Registration information must align to a government entity for verification; military identification will be requested after registration.

  • Startups

    Professionals working at a startup company may receive a 10% discount by using code STARTUP. Registration information must include company information for verification.

Get Approval Faster

Get Approval Anchor Link

Copy the letter below into an email to your manager to prove the value of your attendance.

Dear [Supervisor Name],

I would like to enroll in the RAG Bootcamp for AI Engineering, a virtual intensive masterclass by TDWI. The class is split across two half-days, October 21 and 22.

This schedule will allow me to learn directly with the instructor while also keeping my calendar available for the second half of each day. The masterclass includes hands-on assignments and a digital course book, and it will be recorded for on-demand reference. Plus, when I complete the course, I will earn a TDWI certificate.

We can save $100 with Early Bird pricing – the two-day package is $499 through October 2 (or $599 within 3 weeks of the event).

TDWI has been the leading provider of AI, BI, and data management training for 30 years and builds masterclasses to enable quick impact.

Many Fortune 500 companies and leading organizations from all industries trust TDWI with their training needs, including AbbVie, AT&T, CapitalOne, Edward Jones, Gates Foundation, Lyft, State Farm, USAA, and many more.

If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Advisor On-Demand

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Personalized, one-on-one guidance from proven data and AI experts.

TDWI Advisor On-Demand helps you move from education to impact faster. This personalized advisory service connects you with proven data and AI experts who have successfully designed and implemented programs in real-world organizations.

Your advisor provides targeted coaching and practical guidance as you build, refine, and operationalize your initiatives—helping you avoid costly missteps, accelerate decision-making, and maximize ROI.

Get expert support when you need it, save time, reduce risk, and turn learning into measurable results.

  • 4-Hour Package $1,600
  • 8-Hour Package $3,200

Need Training For Your Team?

TDWI Team Training & Enablement helps organizations scale their training to teach the skills, confidence, and execution capability to succeed with modern data, analytics, and AI.

Purchase bulk seats to TDWI Workshops and not only earn volume discounts, but also empower entire departments to really make an impact.

Contact our Team Training team today to discuss group discounts.

Why TDWI?

For over 30 years, TDWI has empowered organizations with the knowledge and skills to build future-ready data strategies and solutions through research-backed learning, expert faculty, and a vibrant global community.

By developing data and AI-literate, analytics-capable leaders and teams, TDWI equips organizations to succeed in a rapidly evolving landscape. TDWI is the trusted training and research provider to more than 490+ of the Fortune 500.

TDWI educational events deliver an unparalleled learning experience featuring full-day and half-day classes taught by vetted industry experts. Take advantage of live, virtual workshops coming up!

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FAQ Anchor LinkFrequently Asked Questions

  • Why should I attend a virtual workshop?

    You’ll gain immediately applicable skills, frameworks, and tools you can bring back to your team – right at your desk! TDWI training is trusted by 490+ Fortune 500 companies and led by expert faculty with decades of field experience.

  • Are these classes offered in-person?

    Virtual workshops and bootcamps are delivered live and virtually to offer convenient hands-on training. In-person events often do overlap with masterclasses on the agenda, but content may vary. For a current lineup of events offered, visit tdwi.org/events.

  • Are these classes offered on-demand?

    Yes, TDWI virtual workshop classes are recorded for registered attendees. They will be accessible on demand for up to one year after the live event.

  • What if I sign up but cannot attend live?

    TDWI virtual workshop classes are recorded for registered attendees. They will be accessible on demand for up to one year after the live event.

  • Can I get the slides for this class?

    TDWI workshops provide digital course books – better than “slides” – for each attendee. Registrants can access the course book online indefinitely and take notes in it online, though you are restricted from printing the coursebook.

  • Can I ask questions during this class?

    Yes, these live virtual workshops are hosted in Zoom where you can ask questions and learn directly from the instructor.

  • Who teaches these workshops?

    TDWI instructors are vetted industry experts. They have seasoned experience in the field implementing the techniques they are teaching and understand the real-world challenges facing data professionals. Our education team assesses each instructor’s ability to convey concepts, update curriculum with modern materials, and retain high marks in attendee course evaluations.

  • How can I pay for these workshops?

    You can register for TDWI virtual workshops through the registration portal linked on this page, and select credit card to pay. If your company requires invoice or check payments, please email us at [email protected] to assist.

  • Do you offer discounts?

    Yes, we offer discounts for a variety of groups – event alumni, TDWI Members, teams, non-profits, education, government, and more. Check out the discounts page for more info.

  • How do I access the class?

    You will receive a confirmation email after registering that will include a direct link to log in to the virtual TDWI workshop. You will also receive several event reminders that will include links to log in. Also, during registration, you will setup a password for login and can sign in at any time.

  • How do I stay updated on events and resources?

    Subscribe to our newsletter, follow TDWI on LinkedIn, or join the member community to get early access to events, discounts, and exclusive research.