[Frieren]

> Some exceptional individuals might still learn on their own

And people with money/means. Children of software engineers may be able to learn the profession easier than others. The same goes for children with affluent parents that can pay for many years of education.

It seems a retreat back to a more medieval economy that excludes large parts of society.

[wiether]

The free content to learn how to code is still available on the Internet and it won't go away.

SE is one of the few professions that one can _learn_ for free, by themselves.

It could take longer than going into a fancy university, and it won't open corporate doors as easily, but basically anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can learn SE.