Applied GitHub Copilot for Engineering Productivity (SED)
Contact IT Dojo for current pricing, available dates, and a custom quote tailored to your team or organization.
Course Duration
3 Half-Day Sessions (13.5 Hours)
Audience
Employees of federal, state and local governments; and businesses working with the government.
Prerequisites
GitHub Copilot access, basic working knowledge of Copilot, software development experience, and the ability to attend all sessions.
Course Description
This applied engineering program is for teams already using GitHub Copilot or comparable AI coding tools. It moves past introductory feature awareness into disciplined, repeatable workflows that improve productivity while preserving quality, security, and human oversight. In preconfigured lab environments, you will choose the right Copilot mode for each task, onboard to unfamiliar repositories, generate and improve tests, use Plan and Agent modes with appropriate supervision, and configure repository-wide and path-specific custom instructions. You will also learn where AGENTS.md, prompt files, skills, custom agents, MCP servers, and the Copilot CLI fit, and apply guardrails for sensitive data, dependency changes, code review, and rollback. You leave with a team playbook, a guardrails checklist, and starter customization files.
Learning Objectives
- Fit AI into modern development workflows and processes
- Select the right Copilot mode for an engineering task
- Write prompts with scope, context, constraints, and acceptance criteria
- Use Copilot to understand unfamiliar repositories
- Generate and improve tests and validate AI-assisted changes
- Use Plan and Agent modes with appropriate supervision
- Configure repository-wide and path-specific custom instructions
- Apply guardrails for sensitive data, dependencies, review, and rollback
Course Outline
1. AI in Modern Development
- Where AI fits in development workflows
- The changing role of the developer
- Tradeoffs and when AI is not the right solution
2. Choosing the Right Copilot Mode
- Ask, Plan, and Agent modes
- Copilot on GitHub.com for repositories, issues, and pull requests
- Copilot CLI
3. Prompting and Everyday Workflows
- Prompts with scope, context, constraints, and acceptance criteria
- Repository onboarding and documentation
- Test generation, edge cases, debugging, and refactoring
4. Customizing Copilot
- Repository custom instructions (.github/copilot-instructions.md)
- Path-specific instructions and AGENTS.md
- Reusable prompt files, agent skills, and custom agents
5. Tools and Agentic Workflows
- MCP servers for tool and data access
- Cloud and background agentic workflows where enabled
6. Guardrails and Team Practice
- Sensitive data, dependency changes, code review, and rollback
- PR summaries and review activities
- Team working agreement for AI-assisted coding
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Applied GitHub Copilot for Engineering Productivity course cover?
Three half-day sessions for engineering teams. Use Copilot's Ask, Plan, and Agent modes, custom instructions, CLI, and MCP with real guardrails. IT Dojo delivers it as live instructor-led training for government, DoD, and corporate teams.
How long is IT Dojo's Applied GitHub Copilot for Engineering Productivity training?
Course length: 3 Half-Day Sessions (13.5 Hours). It is available as live remote online instruction or as a private session for your team.
Is this course available as live remote online training?
Yes. IT Dojo offers Applied GitHub Copilot for Engineering Productivity as live remote online training led by an instructor in real time. Private sessions for your organization can also be scheduled.
Who should attend this course?
Software engineers using or evaluating GitHub Copilot, technical leads, and teams seeking practical improvements in code generation, refactoring, testing, debugging, documentation, and code review.
How do I register for this course?
IT Dojo training is employer sponsored. Your organization registers and pays for seats. Contact IT Dojo via the Request Training form or call 757-216-3656 to schedule this course for your team.