University of San Diego (USD) is launching its first-ever AI and Machine Learning (AI-ML) bootcamp through a partnership with Fullstack Academy, a U.S. tech education platform.
Director of Professional and Public Programs
USD
“By equipping students with knowledge and skills in AI, we are building the next generation of AI experts and problem solvers who can navigate the opportunities and ethical considerations of an AI-driven world,” said USD Director of Professional and Public Programs Andrew Drotos.
The part-time program is designed to help students of all professional backgrounds acquire relevant, in-demand skills and knowledge of artificial intelligence concepts to apply in current roles or future careers in the data field. Starting in September, the course will run for 26 weeks with live online classes held Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursday evenings.
The program uses active learning methodology. “For AI, that means students will use industry-standard tools and technologies throughout the course to build and optimize machine learning algorithms,” Drotos said. “Our bootcamp not only covers the fundamentals of AI and machine learning tools, but also emphasizes practical application. Students learn how to create and deploy these technologies across a wide range of applications, going beyond the scope of utilizing existing AI applications.”
There’s also an option for a capstone project to showcase gained skills to prospective employers. Students can access a so-called career success team to include workshops, one-on-one office hours, phone calls before big interviews and access to alumni job boards.
Demand for AI Talent
A report released earlier this year from the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) revealed that businesses must embrace more artificial intelligence initiatives and increase the local AI talent pool to catch up with increasingly high demand for the red-hot technology.
EDC discovered that the demand for AI-ML talent is more than double the supply in San Diego. That’s a problem. Findings show that the region produced fewer than 3,000 AI-ML-related graduates in 2021, but more than 7,800 local unique job postings required AI-ML skills with an average advertised salary of more than $120,000 in 2022. The average wage for these jobs has increased by almost 30% over the last three years.
Most job postings were for software developers, data scientists and computer engineers. While the region saw a nearly 40% increase in students graduating with AI-ML-related degrees, it’s not enough to meet the demand.
Other San Diego higher education institutions are trying to rise to the challenge, like UC San Diego’s Machine Learning Methods program and its WIFIRE Lab to support research on wildfires. There’s also San Diego State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, which focuses on autonomous vehicle technology.
“According to CBRE Tech, San Diego experienced a 19.7% increase in technology jobs in the past two years,” Drotos added. “In addition, the Wall Street Journal reported that San Diego is one of the top-five cities responsible for 90% of U.S. high-tech job growth. This combination made San Diego a great market for these technology bootcamp offerings.”
He added that program graduates can qualify for entry-level positions across the state, where the average entry-level salary for AI-ML Engineer roles is $109,599 (Glassdoor). “The top three AI employers in San Diego are Qualcomm, Amazon, and Accenture,” he added.
USD began working with Fullstack Academy in 2019 after collaborating on the launch of a Cybersecurity Bootcamp program. Shortly thereafter, it launched a Coding bootcamp, followed by DevOps and Product Management bootcamps. Upon completion, graduates receive a digital certificate of completion from Fullstack Academy and USD.
Total tuition is about $13,500, with scholarships available of up to $1,000. Applications are due Sept. 5 and the program begins on Sept. 11.
University of San Diego (USD)
FOUNDED: 1949
PRESIDENT: James T. Harris, DEd
EMPLOYEES:1,007 instructional faculty
BUSINESS: education
WEBSITE: bootcamp.sandiego.edu
CONTACT: info.usd@fullstackacademy.com
NOTABLE: USD is the youngest private institution among U.S. News & World Report’s top-100 universities in the country.
