Growth Path

From curious
to getting paid with AI.

Four steps. Each asks one question: what result do you need at this level? Get it, and move up.

Find yourself on the map2-minute skills self-test

Curious · Know what AI can do for me

Heard plenty about it,
but haven’t gotten anything done with it yet.

Where you are now

  • Worried you can’t learn it, or that it isn’t for you
  • Too many tools, no idea which to try first
  • Unsure which work is right for AI

What you’ll get at this level

  • One specific small task worth handing to AI
  • One hands-on attempt, with a before-and-after comparison

What to use

Beginner · Ship your first deliverable with AI

Results are hit or miss,
so you don’t trust them yet.

Where you are now

  • Prompting by feel, results left to luck
  • No idea how to check whether AI got it right
  • Every time, you start from scratch again

What you’ll get at this level

  • A deliverable that has passed human review
  • A record: task, prompts, edits and issues

What to use

  • The Union’s Skill Star Map shows exactly where you’re stuck
  • The five-step first task below, plus feedback from fellow travelers in the community
  • Business example workbench: produce your first draft from a template

Your first task in five steps

Pick a familiar task, let AI produce a first draft, then check and revise it yourself. Your first practice run doesn’t require landing a client or earning anything.

  1. 01

    Pick a task

    State the specific problem to solve

  2. 02

    Set requirements

    Spell out context, goal, requirements and format

  3. 03

    Use AI

    Generate a draft and check it’s complete

  4. 04

    Human review

    Verify facts, wording and data permissions

  5. 05

    Log and review

    Keep the task, prompts, edits and issues

Advancing · Turn habits into workflows

You use it every day,
but the know-how never sticks.

Where you are now

  • Rewriting prompts for the same task every time
  • Material scattered everywhere, where AI can’t find it
  • You have skills, but can’t say what you could sell

What you’ll get at this level

  • A reusable Agent or workflow
  • A real small project delivered with AI

What to use

Pro · Win and deliver work with AI

You want AI to bring
steady projects and income.

Where you are now

  • Juggling several projects, commitments and payments slip through
  • Big jobs are too much for one person
  • No steady source of projects

What you’ll get at this level

  • An OPC delivery loop you run on your own
  • Partners to team up with, and sources of projects

What to use

Skills self-test

Not sure of your level?
8 questions, 2 minutes.

Find out where you sit from L0–L3, plus three things to do next. All in your browser, no sign-up needed.

Start the test
Sample questionAbout 2 min

What do you usually do with what AI writes?

ACopy and use it as is

BTweak a few lines, then use it

CFact-check it point by point, then edit to my own standard

DRun it through a set checklist and templates
Free 30-min diagnosisBook