To support future software developers, Kaplan Test Prep has partnered with Upstart, a firm that provides individuals with access to funding for career advancement in exchange for a percentage of their future earnings. As part of the agreement, participants in Metis, the Kaplan-thoughtbot bootcamp for individuals interested in becoming professional Ruby on Rails web developers, will have the option of guaranteed tuition financing through Upstart in exchange for a small and pre-determined fraction of their future earned income.

"One of the biggest challenges facing up-and-coming professionals and entrepreneurs is a lack of early capital to help them secure the tools and skills they need to succeed in a highly competitive market," said Jason Moss, co-founder of Metis. "As we look to boost the skills gap in coding and web development, partnering with Upstart enables us to connect tomorrow's developer talent with the financial backing to gain the skills they need to be successful."

Metis, Kaplan and thoughbot's bootcamp for aspiring Ruby on Rails web developers, is designed as a new economy skills training (NEST) program to provide immersive training in skills that are in high demand in today's job market, preparing participants for hire. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that by 2020, there will be a million more computing jobs than students.

"Learning to code is a great way to invest in yourself and we are excited to partner with Metis to offer their students a way to finance their coding education," said Dave Girouard, Co-founder and CEO of Upstart.

Metis offers a 12-week, in-person web development bootcamp, with 12 additional weeks of post-graduation professional development and job placement support. The course is created and taught by thoughtbot, one of the world's leading Ruby on Rails development and consulting firms. Under the competitive application process, candidates will be selected among applicants for an interview; successful candidates will be offered admission. Metis program participants will be trained in HTML5: Erb, CSS: Sass, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails and Git, and will learn how to independently create Ruby on Rails applications. At the end of the program, Metis graduates will participate in a Hiring Day, which will connect them with potential employers. To date, eight companies have confirmed likely attendance to Hiring Day including: CoachUp, Constant Contact, Iora Health, LevelUp, Wistia, WegoWise, Kaplan and thoughtbot.

Final deadline for application to the upcoming cohort is February 3, 2014. The first class will start on February 24, 2014 at thoughtbot's Boston office. To apply in the program and learn more about Upstart support, visit www.thisismetis.com.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

About Upstart

Founded by ex-Googlers, Upstart (www.upstart.com) lets you raise capital in exchange for a small share of your future income. It's Lending Club meets Kickstarter, with the economics of Milton Friedman. Backers provide capital today, which you repay as a small fraction of your personal income for either 5 or 10 years. And by providing you with advice, support, and introductions, backers can help you in your career as well. Upstart is backed by Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, First Round Capital, Khosla Ventures, Eric Schmidt, Marc Benioff, and Mark Cuban.

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

Kaplan
Lisa Nickerson, 617-848-4225 (o), 617-861-5060 (c)
lisa.nickerson@nickersonpr.com
Twitter: @KapTestNews, @LisaNickerson