I feel like the only way this is possible is some terrible co-op between businesses and colleges that, instead of colleges educating on basics and fundamentals, theyve basically turned university into the on-the-job training you would get as an entry level employee. But now, youre paying for it instead of being paid for it.

I work in this field and honestly you need a lot of experience to fulfill the duties of a senior software engineer and there is no replacement for experience. It's like asking if students can do more school to become a doctor instead of doing residency.

Having been through university, I have no idea how I could "level up faster" without more years.
And I say that as someone that has carved out a career doing something as the (AFAIK) only person (well, freelancer at least) doing what I do in my country.

Maybe AI disrupts universities? Or AI disrupts skills?
Like AirBnB disrupted hotels, then enshitified to make airbnbs require more manual labour to stay at and cost more than a fucking standard hotel room.