"instantiate" not running all the way creating TypeError

I'm using Julia 1.4.1 and have no ability to upgrade due to employer restrictions on my machine. I got through the "Getting Started" video up to the point where I try to download required packages. I'm getting a long error, but it starts with:
ERROR: TypeError: in typeassert, expected VersionNumber, got Pkg.Types.VersionSpec

It then has a long stacktrace which I will add at the bottom.

Any suggestions?

_Stacktrace:
[1] load_urls(::Pkg.Types.Context, ::Array{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec,1}) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:456
[2] #download_source#39 at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:632 [inlined]
[3] download_source at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/Operations.jl:631 [inlined]
[4] instantiate(::Pkg.Types.Context; manifest::Nothing, update_registry::Bool, verbose::Bool, platform::Pkg.BinaryPlatforms.Linux, kwargs::Base.Iterators.Pairs{Union{},Union{},Tuple{},NamedTuple{(),Tuple{}}}) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/API.jl:820
[5] instantiate(::Pkg.Types.Context) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/API.jl:748
[6] #instantiate#116 at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/API.jl:744 [inlined]
[7] instantiate() at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/API.jl:744
[8] do_cmd!(::Pkg.REPLMode.Command, ::REPL.LineEditREPL) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/REPLMode/REPLMode.jl:400
[9] do_cmd(::REPL.LineEditREPL, ::String; do_rethrow::Bool) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/REPLMode/REPLMode.jl:381
[10] do_cmd at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/REPLMode/REPLMode.jl:376 [inlined]
[11] (::Pkg.REPLMode.var"#24#27"{REPL.LineEditREPL,REPL.LineEdit.Prompt})(::REPL.LineEdit.MIState, ::Base.GenericIOBuffer{Array{UInt8,1}}, ::Bool) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/Pkg/src/REPLMode/REPLMode.jl:542
[12] #invokelatest#1 at ./essentials.jl:712 [inlined]
[13] invokelatest at ./essentials.jl:711 [inlined]
[14] run_interface(::REPL.Terminals.TextTerminal, ::REPL.LineEdit.ModalInterface, ::REPL.LineEdit.MIState) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/REPL/src/LineEdit.jl:2354
[15] run_frontend(::REPL.LineEditREPL, ::REPL.REPLBackendRef) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/REPL/src/REPL.jl:1055
[16] run_repl(::REPL.AbstractREPL, ::Any) at /build/julia-98cBbp/julia-1.4.1+dfsg/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.4/REPL/src/REPL.jl:206
[17] (::Base.var"#764#766"{Bool,Bool,Bool,Bool})(::Module) at ./client.jl:383
[18] #invokelatest#1 at ./essentials.jl:712 [inlined]
[19] invokelatest at ./essentials.jl:711 [inlined]
[20] run_main_repl(::Bool, ::Bool, ::Bool, ::Bool, ::Bool) at ./client.jl:367
[21] exec_options(::Base.JLOptions) at ./client.jl:305
[22] start() at ./client.jl:484

Start by reproducing package installation with Julia 1.4.1 and the course environment, then inspect the Pkg stacktrace at Operations.jl:456 and API.jl:820. Done means the required packages can be instantiated without the VersionNumber/VersionSpec TypeError, with the affected course setup documented.