One of the biggest problems future software developers face is being able to afford the tools and education they need to thrive. As the demand for computing professionals continues to rise, Upstart and Kaplan Test Prep have partnered up together to help potential programmers take steps to further their future careers.

“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,” said Jason Moss, cofounder of Metis, a newly launched Web development boot camp created by Kaplan and thoughtbot (a Ruby on Rails development and consulting firm).

As part of the partnership, participants in Metis will now have the option of guaranteed tuition financing through Upstart in exchange for a small share of their future income over five to 10 years.  

“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 Moss.

Metis, named after the Greek goddess associated with wisdom and good counsel, is a 12-week training program designed to provide aspiring Ruby on Rails Web developers the skills they need in today’s job market. The course curriculum comes from Kaplan’s propriety learning science and assessment insights, and it will be taught by thoughtbot experts.

Through the program, participants will learn:
• HTML5
• CSS: Sass, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails and Git
• How to independently create Ruby on Rails applications

At the end of the program, Metis graduates will participate in a job fair to connect them with potential employers.

“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, founder and CEO of Upstart.

The first classes of Metis will begin on Feb. 24 and take place at thoughtbot’s Boston office.

More information about Metis can be found here.