Custom GPTs, agents and the OpenAI API
For power users and developers: custom GPTs with actions, agent workflows, the OpenAI API and Codex.
- Level
- Advanced3 of 3 in the path
- Delivery
- On-site or remoteanywhere in New Zealand
- Length
- Half-day to a seriesagreed with you first
- Topics
- 6adapted to your team
Who it is for
Operations power users, developers and technical leads.
Before you start: Comfort with spreadsheets or APIs; developers should bring a repository to work in.
What we cover
- Designing custom GPTs: instructions, knowledge files and testing
- Actions: connecting a GPT to an API safely
- Agent mode for multi-step tasks, and where it still needs supervision
- The OpenAI API: structured outputs, tool calling and evaluation
- Codex for developers: working in a real repository
- Costs, rate limits and keeping keys and data safe
We adjust the content to your team, and use your own documents and tasks for the exercises.
Who does this kind of work
63.6% of employed New Zealanders, about 1,669,000 people, work in the desk-based occupation groups (in bold) where ChatGPT helps most. Each town page shows the local share, so you can see how a rollout would size up where you are.
Employed New Zealanders by occupation group, 2023
| Occupation group | Chart | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | 18.3% | |
| Professionals | 26.8% | |
| Technicians and trades workers | 12.5% | |
| Community and personal service workers | 9.0% | |
| Clerical and administrative workers | 10.8% | |
| Sales workers | 7.8% | |
| Machinery operators and drivers | 5.9% | |
| Labourers | 9.0% |
Office, management and sales means four occupation groups: managers, professionals, admin and clerical staff, and sales. These are roles where AI assistance is most applicable. This broad proxy does not measure adoption or predict job change.
Source: Stats NZ, 2023 Census, usually resident employed people; ILO, Generative AI and jobs: a refined global index of occupational exposure (2025).
The rest of the path
1Introductory
ChatGPT essentials workshop
A practical session for the whole team: prompting, files, data analysis and Projects, using tasks from your own business.
2Organisation
ChatGPT Business and Enterprise rollout
Set up ChatGPT properly for a team: workspace, sharing, policies, a custom GPT library and adoption that lasts past week two.
Examples for your industry
- Farming and horticulture
- Manufacturing
- Construction and trades
- Retail
- Tourism and hospitality
- Transport and logistics
- Professional services
- Health
- Education
- Government
Available in every region, for example Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington. See all locations.
Questions about this course
How long is it, and what does it cost?
Length and format depend on your group and goals, so we agree them with you first. Send an enquiry and we will reply with a suggestion.
Can it run remotely?
Yes. Remote sessions run live, with the same hands-on exercises. On-site sessions are available anywhere in New Zealand.
Should our staff keep using personal ChatGPT accounts?
Usually not for company work. A Business or Enterprise workspace gives you admin control and keeps business data out of model training by default. We help you decide which plan fits, and how to move people across.
Do you build custom GPTs for us?
In the rollout and advanced courses we build them with your team, so your people can maintain them afterwards.
Ask about Custom GPTs, agents and the OpenAI API
- Send us a few linesHow many people, where you are, and the jobs that eat your week.
- We reply with a planA suggested session and format, plus what to bring: real quotes, emails and questions.
- Your team does the workAt your place or over video. They finish with ChatGPT doing real tasks, not demos.
- In person
- Remote
- Half-day workshop
- Full-day workshop
- Team rollout
Independent training by TheColab. Not affiliated with OpenAI.
Enquire
Tell us about your team. We reply by email with a suggested course and format.