AI Bootcamp (Flagship Capstone)
Duration: 10 Days
Description
The AI Bootcamp is nTier’s flagship capstone, an intensive, project-driven program that brings together the full technical curriculum. Serving as the shared capstone for both the developer and data/ML engineering tracks, it challenges participants to design and build a substantial AI system end to end: from data and retrieval through LLM application logic, agents, evaluation, and production concerns. Working on a realistic project with guidance from experienced instructors, participants consolidate their skills, fill gaps, and leave with a portfolio-worthy build and the confidence to deliver AI systems in the real world.
Class time is heavily hands-on: project work and labs (70 percent) with focused instruction, design reviews, and discussion (30 percent).
Audience
Developers and data/ML engineers who have completed the core technical courses and want a capstone experience building a complete AI system. The shared culmination of both technical tracks.
Objectives
- Design a complete AI system from requirements to delivery
- Integrate data, retrieval, LLM application logic, and agents
- Apply evaluation, reliability, and security throughout
- Address production concerns: deployment, monitoring, and cost
- Collaborate and present technical design decisions
- Produce a portfolio-worthy end-to-end project
Prerequisites
The Bootcamp assumes completion of the core technical curriculum or equivalent experience. Participants should bring:
- Strong Python skills (see Python Foundations)
- Experience building LLM applications and/or ML systems
- Familiarity with agents, retrieval, and deployment concepts
Course Outline
- Module 1 – Kickoff and Project Design
- Welcome and objectives
- Capstone project options and scoping
- Requirements, architecture, and planning
- Forming teams and setting up
- Module 2 – Data and Retrieval Foundations
- Preparing data and knowledge sources
- Building retrieval and grounding
- Design review and feedback
- Project work
- Module 3 – Application and Agent Logic
- Building core application and workflow logic
- Adding agent capabilities and tools
- Integrating components
- Project work
- Module 4 – Evaluation, Reliability, and Security
- Building evaluation and testing
- Hardening for reliability and security
- Cost and performance tuning
- Project work and design review
- Module 5 – Delivery and Presentation
- Deployment and operational readiness
- Final integration and polish
- Presenting design decisions and results
- Capstone presentations and wrap-up