Open Source Engineering Lab

A 12-week supervised engineering experience for software developers, AI engineers, and Generative AI engineers ready to solve real problems and contribute to open-source projects.

Writing code is only one part of engineering. Join a small cohort, learn how to understand problems, think through solutions, contribute to existing projects, receive review, and improve through a professional engineering process.

A Model of Applied Engineering

We replace passive learning with supervised engineering practice. Participants are onboarded into a real project environment, investigate requirements, break down problems, work through software and AI engineering issues, open pull requests, receive review, and improve through feedback.

01. Professional Onboarding

Participants are introduced to the project, tooling, communication process, Git workflow, and contribution expectations, similar to how a junior developer, software engineer, or AI engineer joins a team.

02. Real Open-Source Contribution

Participants work on real issues and codebases, not isolated exercises. The focus is on understanding project requirements, exploring possible solutions, making technical decisions, and contributing responsibly to open-source projects.

03. Senior Engineering Supervision

Where possible, participants work under the supervision of senior developers, AI-aware engineers, and software architects, receiving code review, technical feedback, and guidance on engineering decisions.

04. Full-Time Engineering Practice

The programme runs for 12 weeks, following a serious working structure that helps participants build consistency, discipline, and confidence.

Programme Fee: £1,500

Next cohort starts: 06 July 2026

The fee covers the complete supervised cohort experience, including onboarding, problem analysis, project work, technical guidance, code review, and support from initial setup through to contribution.

Each cohort is limited to 8 participants so supervision, feedback, and review remain practical and meaningful.

INCLUDED:
  • Real contribution to open-source projects
  • Problem solving inside existing codebases
  • Work alongside senior software and AI-aware engineers
  • Code review, feedback, and engineering discipline
  • Work on real projects, not throwaway exercises
  • Build experience through real software and open-source engineering work
Apply

Why only 8 people per cohort?

Each cohort is limited to 8 participants because this model depends on close supervision, problem discussion, code review, individual feedback, and meaningful support. Open-source contribution requires time with real repositories, practical guidance, and careful review of each participant's software, AI, and open-source engineering work.

A large classroom would weaken the experience. A smaller cohort allows participants to ask better questions, work through unfamiliar codebases, respond to feedback, and build confidence through real contribution rather than passive instruction.

This is not a traditional bootcamp. It is a focused engineering environment for students, software developers, AI engineers, Generative AI engineers, and developers who want to practise the full engineering process: understanding the problem, designing a solution, contributing to real open-source work, and improving through review.

Ready to work like an engineer?

Apply for the next cohort and gain practical experience solving real problems through supervised software, AI, and open-source engineering contribution.

Apply Now

The 12-Week Engineering Experience

01

Project Onboarding

Deep dive into architecture, requirements, contribution guidelines, and local environment setups for real software and open-source repositories.

02

Production Workflow

Practising Git, CI/CD awareness, technical decision-making, and the discipline behind a clear pull request.

03

Live Contribution

Working through the issue backlog, reasoning through possible solutions, receiving direct code reviews, and shipping software, AI-adjacent, or platform improvements toward production-quality standards.

Apply for the next cohort

Places are limited to 8 participants per cohort. Applications are reviewed to make sure each participant is ready to benefit from supervised problem solving, open-source contribution, and professional engineering practice.

Contact

Have a question about the programme, cohort dates, or suitability? Send a message and we will get back to you.