August 2025 Bootcamp News Roundup

Table of Contents

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• Interesting New Bootcamp Launches & Partnerships
• Federal Policy & Funding Updates Impacting Bootcamps
• Outcomes & Research on Bootcamps, ISAs, and Credentials
• 8 New Schools Added to Course Report
• Our Favorite Pieces on the Blog

From federal policy wins like Workforce Pell and expanded 529 eligibility, to innovative new bootcamp partnerships and research on what’s working in alternative education, here’s what caught our eye this August about bootcamps, certifications, and workforce development. 

Curious about what happened in bootcamps in July? Check out last month's roundup to review July's biggest coding bootcamp + certificate course news!

Interesting New Bootcamp Launches & Partnerships

• A new partnership between General Assembly, Baylor, and McLennan Community College is piloting a hybrid cybersecurity bootcamp model that blends short-term certifications with hands-on college credit – creating new onramps into the cyber workforce.

• A free AI Bootcamp from the Mark Cuban Foundation and Girls Inc. of San Antonio brings hands-on generative AI education to underserved teens, inspiring future bootcamp learners and tech leaders.

• Y Combinator urges startups to build AI-powered bootcamps for skilled trades (think welders, HVAC techs, and electricians for data centers and chip fabs), arguing that multimodal AI could unlock scalable, fast-track training for the labor force behind the AI economy.

• In unfortunate news, Uvaro Inc. and Lighthouse Labs Inc. filed for bankruptcy on August 1, 2025.

Federal Policy & Funding Updates Impacting Bootcamps

• Last month, we included a rumor about 529 plan expansion, but the New York Times confirmed it this August – 529 plans can now fund workforce training, including certification and licensing programs, thanks to new federal legislation expanding eligible uses of these tax-advantaged education savings accounts. 

• Lisa Larson writes for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) that Workforce Pell’s passage creates a pivotal opportunity for short-term training providers if institutions, states, and employers rise to the implementation challenge. While the law opens the door for bootcamps and non-degree providers to serve more learners, Larson emphasizes that colleges, states, and employers must now collaborate to build the infrastructure, governance, and outcome tracking needed to make it work. “Translating policy into practice,” she writes, “will take a lot more work.”

• The U.S. Department of Education’s release of WIOA Title II funds includes strengthened legal compliance measures – critical for bootcamps and training providers relying on federal grants.

• The Department of Labor’s $84M investment in apprenticeship expansion presents major opportunities for bootcamps and training providers to align with state workforce initiatives in traditional trades and emerging tech sectors.

• The U.S. Department of Labor also announced $30M in Industry-Driven Skills Training Fund grants to support employer-led training in high-demand fields like AI, advanced manufacturing, and shipbuilding – offering states a new incentive to scale innovative, outcomes-based workforce programs.

Outcomes & Research on Bootcamps, ISAs, and Credentials

• New JFF-backed research suggests Purdue’s ISA program offered a more affordable, accessible alternative to loans – especially for lower-income and underrepresented students – challenging past criticisms of the model.

• New research shows that ultra-short certificates boost job placement and earnings quickly, but longer short-term programs deliver more sustained labor market value, raising key design questions for bootcamps and alternative education providers.

• Deanna Ross and Bruno Manno make the case for apprenticeship degrees as a financially sustainable, career-aligned alternative to college—addressing student debt and labor shortages. 

8 New Schools Added to Course Report

The bootcamp landscape continued to evolve with new offerings:

• DataExpert.io

• Floydee Academy

• Furman University Bootcamps by Flatiron School

• University of New Hampshire Bootcamps by Flatiron School

• New Jersey Institute of Technology Bootcamps by Flatiron School

• University of Richmond Bootcamps by Flatiron School

• University of Utah Bootcamps by Flatiron School

• SMU Bootcamps by Flatiron School

Welcome to these new schools! If you graduated from one of these schools, remember to leave a review of your experience on Course Report. 

Our Favorite Pieces on the Blog

• Liz caught up with Elise Deitrick from TripleTen’s curriculum team to learn more about their new AI Automations Bootcamp, designed for professionals ready to scale AI-powered workflows across industries. Elise broke down what this emerging role looks like in 2025 and how TripleTen is building a hands-on, career-focused experience for students.
• Mike interviewed Tim Bruns, General Assembly Web Development Immersive graduate and the Manager of Solutions Engineering at Quantum Metric. In this Q&A, Tim shares how the network effect helped him land his job, why community matters, and how bootcamps like General Assembly can lay the groundwork for a fulfilling tech career, even if you’re starting from a non-technical background.