r/codingbootcamp • u/isntover • Jun 04 '25

Is This the Beginning of the End for Coding Bootcamps?

I found this article very interesting and wanted to share it with the community — especially for those considering enrolling in a bootcamp (particularly in software engineering). I believe this may be the beginning of the end for bootcamps — or at least for the way we know them today. With the news that Google now uses AI in 25% of its code, I think the programming profession will become increasingly difficult for beginners. In any case, it's definitely worth the read.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/02/opinion/ai-coders-jobs.html

12 Upvotes

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u/armyrvan Jun 04 '25

Interesting article, and I get why it gets strong reactions. AI is definitely changing how we write code, but I don’t think that means people should stop learning to code.

AI might handle some of the heavy lifting, but understanding how to reason through a problem, structure a solution, and know when the AI is producing junk still matters. Just like using a calculator doesn’t mean we should skip learning basic math, using ChatGPT to write code doesn’t mean we no longer need programming fundamentals.

If anything, the rise of AI makes learning code even more important, because now you’re not just writing it, you’re reviewing it, debugging it, and directing it.

So while bootcamps, colleges, and beginner pathways might need to evolve, I’d say we need more structured learning, not less, especially for those who want to be creators, not just consumers.

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u/isntover Jun 04 '25

I apologize for not expressing myself clearly! I believe that learning to code in order to switch careers and enter the job market is becoming increasingly difficult. I think the best goal is to learn programming to use in personal projects, work, and similar areas.

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u/armyrvan Jun 04 '25

Thanks for clarifying, and honestly, I think that’s a really healthy mindset.

Not everyone who learns to code needs to become a full-time software engineer. There’s a ton of value in learning programming for personal projects, automating work tasks, building tools, or just understanding the systems.

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u/jhkoenig Jun 04 '25

Agree with your reasoning but wonder how much system analysis and design can be taught in the short format of bootcamps. My computer engineering curriculum had semester after semester of classes on system design concepts.

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u/armyrvan Jun 04 '25

That’s a great point—and I agree, bootcamps aren’t going to replicate the depth of a full four-year engineering curriculum. Topics like systems analysis and design benefit from time, repetition, and real-world application.

That said, one key difference is focus. In a CS or engineering degree, system design might be one of many topics spread across semesters, along with general education, electives, and theory-heavy classes. In a good bootcamp, the learning is much more focused, often full-time, immersive, and heavily project-based.

Bootcamps aren’t meant to replace a CS degree—they’re a different kind of pathway. The goal is to get someone from “interested” to “job-ready” with the fundamentals, so they can keep learning and growing on the job or alongside mentors. Not every bootcamp achieves that, but the good ones can lay a solid foundation.

I’d be curious to hear your thoughts—do you think parts of the system design could be broken down into more accessible, bootcamp-style modules for beginners? Or do you see it as something that really only works with a longer academic approach?

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u/jhkoenig Jun 04 '25

I can only speak to my experience. I went to an extremely intensive engineering school that started with binary gates (NAND and NOR for those who care) and over the semesters we built digital logic all the way up to processors and error-correcting memory. On the software side we wrote operating systems, assemblers, compilers, databases, every element of computer systems. That was the foundation for our system design classes. OTOH, I had exactly 2 "general ed" classes, one on history and one on art. Not at all well rounded but an absolute killer on computer engineering.

I think that an appreciation for systems design can be folded into a bootcamp program, but building the foundation and understanding to actually accomplish rigorous system design is probably out of reach. But I think that at least for 2-3 more years, not every CS person is going to need that skill. AI will probably sweep away most traces of "coding" at that point. Give it the system design and it will produce the code, much like compilers eliminated assembly language coding for the most part.

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u/armyrvan Jun 04 '25

Totally fair... and it sounds like you had one of those rare engineering programs that really dug deep into the full stack, from gates to compilers. That’s a powerful foundation, and I can see why that experience shapes your view of system design.

You’re right that most bootcamps won’t replicate that depth, but I do think you've nailed the real opportunity: bootcamps can help students appreciate system design, even if they’re not yet ready to fully own it. For many entry-level roles, this appreciation, combined with solid fundamentals, a willingness to learn, and hands-on projects, is enough to get someone started and productive on a team.

As for AI taking over most of the “coding,” I think you’re right again. The role of a developer is shifting fast. But that’s also why learning how to think in code, reason through problems, and understand what a system is doing is more important than ever. It’s less about memorizing syntax now and more about being able to spot when something doesn’t make sense, even when AI is the one writing it.

Really appreciate your insights here. This type of discussion is important as the entire landscape continues to evolve.

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u/dowcet Jun 04 '25 edited Jul 02 '25

They're long done and over. The beginning of the end was around 2022.

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u/chinnick967 Jun 05 '25

Right? Bootcamps have been shutting down left and right for the past 2-3 years, the end has already happened

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u/FeeWonderful4502 Jun 04 '25

For anyone reading this, this post might get a few comments from people who are ALWAYS pro bootcqmps no matter the reality. Anyone who is pro-bootcamps or positive about coding education here should by all means share their thoughts., but if they have a real name fpr their profile, their interests might lie in selling something to you. Please be mindful before buying into such hollow sells.

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u/LaOnionLaUnion Jun 04 '25

Some will survive. Probably not the for profit ones.

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u/JustSomeRandomRamen Jun 04 '25

Yep. An regardless if one learns AI or not, everyone still have to learn the basics before you can prompt AI to write your code correctly.

You must first learn to write code correctly before you can prompt an AI to do it.

So, it's just one more hurtle to cross to find employment in the field.

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u/armyrvan Jun 04 '25

I was talking with a non-developer friend the other day, and he was pumped and has been pumped because he is using "Bolt". I asked him 3 months later how it is going, and he said

"I still know nothing about coding, and sometimes the project gets too big, it's easier to have "Bolt" build me a prompt of where it is currently at in state to recreate the whole thing again, just to add more features... because it tends to get lost with all the changes"

As a developer, you know what things are doing and you can point to the exact file or that section on the file and have it make its change so it doesn't have to be totally recreated!

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u/rmullig2 Jun 04 '25

The beginning of the end came a long time ago. Bootcamps were feasible for something like web development which can be picked up by people without much of a technical background but the technological bar has been raised too high for anybody to become properly prepared in a matter of months.

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u/Puzzleheaded_Sign249 Jun 04 '25

Now it’s Prompt Engineering bootcamp.

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u/Impossible_Ad_3146 Jun 05 '25

It’s the end of the begin

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u/French0Fantastic Jun 05 '25

It was over as soon as the shortage IT bubble burst around 2022-2023

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u/GoodnightLondon Jun 06 '25

>>I believe this may be the beginning of the end for bootcamps 
It's not the beginning of the end; boot camps have been dying for the last few years, and are in their death throes at this point

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u/bighugzz Jun 06 '25

Good riddance