Kaplan test prep partners with ruby on rails leader thoughtbot to
launch developer boot camp
New york--(business wire)--kaplan test prep, the global leader in test prep, and thoughtbot, a premier web and mobile design and development firm, have partnered to launch a software developer bootcamp for individuals interested in becoming professional ruby on rails web developers. in the nascent market of programming academies and developer bootcamps, the kaplan-thoughtbot venture marks the entrance of two industry heavyweights, bringing together an established leader in education and training with one of the world’s leading development firms in ruby on rails, an opensource web framework using ruby programming language. named metis, inspired by the greek goddess associated with wisdom and good counsel, the initial bootcamp will be a 12-week intensive training program, using curriculum informed by kaplan’s proprietary learning science and assessment insights and delivered by thoughtbot experts. the first class will start on february 24, 2014 at thoughtbot’s boston office. metis 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. under the competitive application process, candidates will be selected among applicants for an interview which will entail problem-solving questions. no more than 30 qualified applicants will be accepted for each cohort. 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, graduates will participate in a hiring day, which will connect metis graduates with potential employers. “the current disparity between supply and demand for developer talent in our economy means fluency in coding and software languages is a much-needed capability in today’s job market,” said bernardo rodriguez, chief digital officer, kaplan test prep. “merging our experience as an educator with thoughtbot’s technology expertise was a natural fit in creating a superior program to help address the skills gap. thoughtbot has extensive experience as an employer of ruby on rails developers, in teaching rails, and in actually building and shipping ruby on rails apps, so identifying and training top talent for hire is part of the company’s dna.” chad pytel, chief executive officer of thoughtbot, noted, “we’re thrilled to combine our know-how with kaplan’s experience in delivering intensive, outcomes-focused programs, and believe we’re in a unique position to create a new offering that delivers an unparalleled learning experience.” with teams across the u.s. and in stockholm, thoughtbot is the creator of factorygirl, shoulda, capybara webkit, paperclip, bourbon, neat, laptop and other popular open-source libraries, and has taught ruby on rails to hundreds of students worldwide, including at elite institutions such as harvard business school and the stanford graduate school of business. the first classes will run out of thoughtbot’s founding office in boston, on 41 winter street, where the firm has consulted for more than 50 startups and other organizations. “talent is driving our state's innovation economy and leading to new opportunities for satisfying careers in massachusetts,” said massachusetts assistant secretary for innovation eric nakajima. “we are excited about this new partnership to provide interested students with the skills and knowledge to compete and add to our world-class technology community.” to apply, go to www.thisismetis.com. applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with january 10, 2014 as the final deadline for the first cohort. 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 thoughtbot thoughtbot (thoughtbot.com) is a world-class consulting firm that makes web and mobile apps for early-stage startups and other organizations. established in 2003, their consulting team consists of 65 designers, web developers, and mobile developers in boston, san francisco, stockholm, denver, philadelphia, raleigh, and new york city.
