Metis, the industry’s only accredited intensive data science bootcamp, is launching a new big data processing course, teaching students how to work with Hadoop and Spark, two of today’s most widely used distributed computing paradigms. Computing paradigms are methods by which a large amount of data can be aggregated across multiple machines. 2015 has been a breakout year for Spark in particular, which saw attendance at its user conferences grow 156%, to almost 3,000. Furthermore, according to well-respected industry analyst O'Reilly, knowing Spark “could apparently have more of an impact on salary than getting a PhD.”

In the Metis course, both Hadoop and Spark will be run off of Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon’s cloud service, as knowledge of AWS is a data science skill set increasingly sought after by employers. In the first section of the course, students will learn and discuss key Hadoop concepts such as the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) and MapReduce, which are ways to organize files and directories. In the second half of the course, students will learn Spark basics such as Resilient Distributed Datasets (RDDs), and then advance to more sophisticated topics such as Spark for machine learning and Spark streaming, essentially real-time processing. Upon completion of this course, students will have an understanding of when to use distributed computing paradigms, Hadoop and Spark, a comfort writing Hadoop and Spark applications in Python -- a versatile programming language -- a familiarity with the Hadoop and Spark ecosystems, and the various tools that come with the distributions.

According to Forbes, the demand for computer system analysts who have experience with big data increased by almost 90 percent between 2013 and 2014, making it one of America’s fastest growing jobs. The magazine also reports that the average advertised salary for employees with this experience hovers around $105,000, up $2,000 from the start of 2015.

The big data course marks Metis’s second specialized professional development course launch this year. This summer, Metis began running a data visualization course. Metis also runs an immersive, highly competitive 12-week data science bootcamp, which currently runs in New York City and will begin running in San Francisco in January.

“Metis is looking forward to launching our Big Data with Hadoop and Spark course this winter. Breaking down big data is increasingly important to businesses trying to better understand their customers and improve their performance, and the employees who can help do this will continue to be in high demand,” said Jason Moss, co-founder and general manager of Metis. “As the need for data scientists grows, Metis is excited to continue delivering new course offerings to provide industry professionals with the skills needed to help them succeed.”

This 36-hour course launches January 19, 2016 and is open to beginners, but students should have experience with Python and the Unix/Linux command line and be comfortable installing open source software on Mac or PC. Applicants should also have some knowledge of Python and basic experience with SQL. The course will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm - 9:30pm at Metis’s NYC headquarters at, 27 East 28th Street, 3rd Floor, where the data science bootcamp also takes place.

To enroll in the course, prospective students can visit www.thisismetis.com. For reporters who want to talk with a Metis spokesperson about the new Big Data course or a career in data science, contact Russell Schaffer at 212.453.7538 or russell.schaffer@kaplan.com.

About Metis

Metis (www.thisismetis.com) is a leading provider of data science skills training for individuals. Part of Kaplan’s New Economy Skills Training (NEST) unit, Metis delivers training programs designed by world-class industry practitioners and runs the industry’s only accredited intensive data science bootcamp. Metis, a d/b/a of Kaplan, is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education & Training (ACCET). Kaplan, Inc. (www.kaplan.com) is a leading provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses.

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC)