October 2025 Bootcamp News Roundup

Table of Contents

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• AI Certifications and Training Initiatives
• Apprenticeships and Alternative Pathways
• Industry Updates
• The Great College Rebellion
• AI Reshaping STEM Education
• 1 New School Added to Course Report
• Our Favorite Pieces on the Blog

The accelerated learning industry continues to evolve this October with shifts in how AI is reshaping STEM education and growing questions about traditional college ROI. We're also covering the explosive growth of AI certifications and California's $30 million investment in apprenticeship programs. Plus, learn about the newest coding bootcamp we added to the Course Report directory in October.

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

AI Certifications and Training Initiatives

• Forbes reports Google and HubSpot certifications can boost salaries by up to 28%, with employer demand for AI skills jumping from 26% to 31% in one year.

• UNF's Free AI Certificate program has attracted over 20,000 global registrants.

• Google.org provides $5 million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the Small Business B(AI)sics program, which targets 40,000 small businesses.

• New York State announced an AI pilot program for state employees featuring a proprietary generative AI sandbox powered by Google Gemini.

• Howard University announced an AI certificate program and OpenAI partnership, emphasizing that AI should enhance rather than replace teaching and learning.

Apprenticeships and Alternative Pathways

• California Governor Gavin Newsom announced $30 million for 70 apprenticeship programs benefiting 11,000+ apprentices earning an average of $50.29 per hour in healthcare, education, and high-tech.

• Fast Company profiled Bob McDonough, who went from bar work to a salaried design studio position within three months of completing a University of Pennsylvania full stack bootcamp in 2019.

Industry Updates

• Chegg announced it will remain public and restructure to focus on the $40+ billion skilling market, with Dan Rosensweig returning as CEO.

The Great College Rebellion

• Business Upturn reports that skyrocketing tuition and $1.7 trillion in student debt drive students to question the ROI of a four-year degree. For many in tech and skilled trades, faster, lower-cost paths like coding bootcamps and professional certifications now offer stronger, job-ready outcomes. Credentials such as AWS and Microsoft certifications are emerging as the new currency of career mobility, challenging colleges to prove their real-world value.

• HR Dive reports that while 72% of hiring managers say their companies use AI tools, more than half lack resources for training, with only 12% of workers receiving AI training.

• OpenTools.ai analyzed whether a CS degree remains a "golden ticket" in 2025, concluding that the degree maintains value in specialized fields, but graduates need adaptability and continuous learning.

• Computer Weekly featured professionals who entered tech through unconventional routes – one via a coding bootcamp (Manchester Codes) after a career in music and plumbing, another through a zig-zag from teaching to oil rigs to tech sales. Their stories underscore a growing truth in the industry: tech careers are no longer reserved for computer-science graduates.

AI Reshaping STEM Education

• WIRED explores how high school STEM students are pivoting from pure coding toward fields that blend computing with analysis and interpretation, with AP Statistics registrations reaching 264,262 in 2024.

• Campus Technology highlights institutions like Georgia Tech and Westcliff University that successfully combine intellectual depth with workplace preparation through programs like SMART Capstone, which has helped over 130 companies.

• Tech in Asia reports Indonesia's Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education plans to make coding and AI mandatory subjects in schools. 

• The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northeast Community College's iHub hosted micro:bit Adventure Camps, introducing fourth through sixth graders to coding and engineering.

• Investopedia reports that Alexandr Wang, 28-year-old billionaire and Meta's Chief AI Officer, declared that 13-year-olds should "spend all of their time vibe coding" – building apps by telling AI what they want in plain English.

• Business Insider profiled Wei Khjan Chan, a 39-year-old accountant who learned vibe coding to stay ahead of AI automation and built a web app to automate expense claims despite having no technical background.

1 New School Added to Course Report

• AmQuest Education

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

Our Favorite Pieces on the Blog

• Mike talked to Cruz Sanchez about TrueCoders’ bold program shift from a traditional 9-week intensive bootcamp to a hybrid, flexible 45-week program model. Check out the interview to learn about this innovative approach to coding education that’s adapting to current market demands.

• Liz loved editing this spotlight with Char Burton, who gives an honest review of her experience at Fullstack Academy. Fast forward to 2025: Char is now a front-end developer at Lumifi, working on cybersecurity tools that protect businesses of all sizes.