February 2026 Bootcamp News Roundup

Table of Contents

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• AI Education Expands Across Schools and Universities
• Industry/Hiring Updates
• The AI Skills Gap
• Apprenticeships and Workforce Development
• 1 New School Added to Course Report
• Our Favorite Pieces on the Blog

Artificial intelligence continues to reshape education and workforce development this February. Universities are launching new AI schools, tech companies are partnering with colleges to redesign coding curricula, and governments are introducing AI-powered classrooms as early as preschool. Meanwhile, new research highlights a growing AI literacy gap among workers, even as employers double down on AI investments and apprenticeship programs. Here’s what caught our eye this month in AI training, coding bootcamps, and workforce development.

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

AI Education Expands Across Schools and Universities

• Yahoo Finance highlights Anthropic’s partnership with nonprofit CodePath to integrate Claude AI tools into computer science programs at more than 1,000 colleges. Through the collaboration, students will learn to build with AI tools like Claude Code and contribute to real-world open-source projects.

• Patch reports that Stevens Institute of Technology received $36 million in donations to launch a new School of Computing focused on artificial intelligence and advanced computing research. The school will blend computing education with fields such as finance, engineering, and the life sciences to prepare students for AI-driven industries.

• MLive notes that Jerome Green STEM Preschool in Michigan became the first early childhood program in the state to implement a Computer Science for All curriculum. Preschoolers will learn foundational coding concepts through robotics play, sequencing exercises, and collaborative problem-solving activities.

• The Tribune India details Delhi’s launch of the country’s first AI-driven government school model, introducing AI-enabled classrooms, robotics labs, and digital learning infrastructure across 75 public schools. The initiative aims to prepare students for technology-focused careers while expanding access to advanced education.

Industry/Hiring Updates

• Yahoo Finance highlights IBM’s plan to triple entry-level hiring in the U.S. in 2026 despite concerns that AI could reduce opportunities for junior workers. The company says early-career roles are evolving toward implementing AI tools and supporting customers rather than writing routine code.

The AI Skills Gap

• DataCamp reports that expectations for AI and data literacy continue to rise rapidly across organizations. In a survey of more than 500 enterprise leaders, 88% said data literacy is essential for day-to-day work, and 72% said the same for AI literacy.

• The report also finds that nearly 60% of organizations face a data or AI skills gap. Companies that pair AI investments with workforce upskilling are nearly twice as likely to report strong returns on their AI initiatives.

Apprenticeships and Workforce Development

• Workshift explores a new $145 million federal apprenticeship initiative that will follow a pay-for-performance funding model similar to California’s Apprenticeship Innovation Funding program. The Department of Labor hopes the approach will help scale apprenticeship programs nationwide.

• The article also notes that California’s model has already driven significant growth: apprenticeship participation in targeted industries such as technology, education, and healthcare increased by 76% between 2021 and 2024.

1 New School Added to Course Report

• Data Science Institute

Welcome to this new school! If you are a graduate of this program, remember to leave a review of your experience on Course Report.

Our Favorite Pieces on the Blog

• Liz spoke with Jourdan Hathaway, Chief Business Officer and CMO at General Assembly, about why the bootcamp provider is rethinking its programs for 2026. In the interview, Jourdan explains how AI is reshaping tech roles and why General Assembly is shifting away from the traditional “one big career sprint” bootcamp model toward continuous learning pathways that better match the evolution of modern careers. 

• Mike interviewed Malcolm McGhie, who transitioned into software QA after completing Careerist’s 10-week Manual QA Bootcamp. In the spotlight, Malcolm shares how Careerist’s practical curriculum, internship experience, and structured job-search support helped him land a remote QA Engineer role, and why quality assurance remains essential in the AI-driven software industry.