I work for a major university and I am in the process of applying for a master's in engineering to enhance my skills (primarily) in AI and systems engineering.

I work for a major university and I am in the process of applying for a master's in engineering to enhance my skills (primarily) in AI and systems engineering. This is a remarkable opportunity to get a master's for free while continuing full time work. I doubt the author had anything like this in mind. It's also expected (all but explicitly required) to have a master's degree or higher to expect any kind of management role here. May seem weird to you, but higher education plays by its own rules.