Exploring New Horizons: Keith Hayden’s Leveling Up His Game

Keith Hayden is an Air Force Veteran, digital novelist, and media business owner who has spent years exploring how technology can support his creative and professional goals. Whether publishing books, managing his website, or experimenting with game design, Keith has continued looking for new ways to build and create.

Today, Keith adds another milestone to that journey as he graduates from Code Platoon’s AI + Fullstack Engineering program with Dakota Platoon.

Before 2021, Keith had been interested in software engineering for years but had never seriously pursued it during or immediately after his military service. That changed when he began teaching himself to code through free online courses.

As his skills developed, Keith realized that a more comprehensive software engineering education could give him the breadth and depth he needed to take on more ambitious projects through his media business.

That’s where Code Platoon came in

Initially deciding between Code Platoon and continuing to learn independently, Keith ultimately chose the structured path.

“I ultimately chose Code Platoon because its military focus made it a natural fit for me as an Air Force veteran, while its structured curriculum offered the concentration and accountability of an intensive program.”

Code Platoon also gave his software education an added level of credibility. Beyond the independent projects he had built on his own, completing an intensive program would demonstrate his ability to build and understand software while potentially opening the door to future employment opportunities.

But employment wasn’t his only goal.

“My primary goal is to create software for my own projects and, through my business, for other small and medium-sized businesses.”

Keith described the application process as straightforward and supportive. After submitting his initial application, he spoke with Code Platoon team members about the program, asked questions, and discussed what he hoped to accomplish.

“I felt that Code Platoon treated me as a serious candidate from the beginning. Having that consistent communication was especially refreshing compared with application processes where you hear little or nothing until a final decision arrives.”

Fifteen Weeks of Building, Learning, and Growing

Once Dakota Platoon began, Keith was immersed in software engineering.

“The experience has been intense in the best sense of the word.”

For 15 weeks, he described the experience as “essentially living and breathing code,” between live instruction and the projects and assignments students completed outside the classroom.

As Keith reaches graduation today, that work has translated into significant growth in both his technical abilities and his confidence.

The instructors were a major part of that experience.

“They have been knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely invested in our success.”

Keith also appreciated that the support extended beyond technical instruction.

“They also understand that students have families, medical appointments, and other responsibilities outside the classroom.”

The program challenged him, but he found that instructors were willing to work with students when life intervened. That combination of high expectations and understanding became one of the most valuable parts of his experience.

Finding a Community in Dakota Platoon

Learning alongside his Dakota Platoon classmates also became an important part of Keith’s experience.

“My classmates arrived with different strengths, experiences, and ways of approaching problems, so collaboration has become an important part of the education.”

For Keith, the cohort model offered something he hadn’t necessarily expected when he applied.

“It gives you more than a curriculum: it gives you a temporary community of people working through the same demanding transformation together.”

That community helped turn an intensive 15-week program into a shared experience, with students learning from one another while working toward the same goal.

Today, that shared experience culminates in graduation for Keith and the rest of Dakota Platoon.

Why Learning to Code Still Matters in the Age of AI

When Keith first considered Code Platoon, he had a question that many aspiring software engineers are asking today: Is learning to code still worth it when AI can generate code?

“One of my own hesitations was whether a coding boot camp was still valuable in 2026, when AI can generate enormous amounts of code.”

After completing Code Platoon’s AI + Fullstack Engineering program, his perspective has shifted.

“My experience has convinced me that learning software engineering matters even more now.”

AI can generate code quickly, but Keith found that understanding the fundamentals is what allows someone to use those tools effectively.

“But without foundational knowledge, you have limited ability to understand, control, troubleshoot, or reshape what it creates.”

With that foundation, Keith has been able to use AI more effectively and creatively in both his coursework and personal projects.

“Learning to code turns you into a builder who can make informed decisions about the technology you use.”

For Keith, learning software engineering alongside AI wasn’t about competing with the technology. It was about developing the knowledge needed to make better use of it.

Advice for Future Code Platoon Students

Keith didn’t enter Code Platoon as an expert programmer, and he doesn’t think future students need to either.

“You don’t need to arrive as an expert in every programming language. I certainly didn’t.”

Throughout the program, individual languages became tools for understanding broader concepts, approaching problems, and learning how software works.

His advice for someone considering Code Platoon is simple:

“If you enjoy puzzles, tinkering, or understanding how things work, I’d encourage you to apply.”

He also emphasizes that the Immersive program requires a real commitment. Fifteen weeks of intensive learning requires sustained focus and the willingness to make the program a priority.

But for those who can make that commitment?

“If you can protect that time and attention, I strongly recommend it.”

Today, Keith and his Dakota Platoon classmates complete that 15-week journey and graduate from Code Platoon’s AI + Fullstack Engineering program.

For Keith, graduation marks more than the completion of a curriculum. It represents another step toward becoming the kind of builder he set out to be: someone with the technical foundation to turn ideas into software, use AI with greater purpose, and continue creating new possibilities through technology.