How To Convince Your Boss To Pay For You To Learn To Code

So you’ve been thinking about learning to code, but not because you want to leave your job. You like where you work. You’re just curious about what’s next.

Maybe there’s already a tech department you’d love to collaborate with. Or maybe you’ve spotted some internal tools or clunky workflows that could be better with a little code.

Either way, you’re wondering “What if I could learn to code and grow here and get the company to support it?”

That’s what this guide is for.

I’ll show you how to:

• Start learning without spending a cent
• Tie your new skills directly to business value
• Handle common objections like cost, time, and retention
• And use a proven email pitch to ask your boss to cover your training

You’ll even get a plan for what to do if they say no, so you can keep building momentum anyway.

Let’s get into it.

Step #1. Start on your own first

Don’t freak out, because I know what you’re thinking:

“Wait a minute. I’m trying to convince my boss to pay for my coding education, and your first tip is to start paying for it myself? What gives?”

Here’s the thing: I’m not saying you need to start paying. Just that you need to start learning before you pitch them.

So let me explain:

Here at Zero To Mastery (ZTM to our friends), almost all of our courses have free previews that give you the first few hours upfront. So you can actually dive in and start learning without spending any money.

Pretty handy right?

But it gets better. This week, we’re running a new event where you can get full access to every single course that we have — from start to finish — for the next 7 days, completely free. No credit card. No fine print. Just create an account and start.

It's running until EOD on the 21st.

Even after that though, the cost for our training is far more affordable than people think:

• $49 a month cancel anytime
• $299 a year if you pay upfront
• or $1,299 for lifetime access

So no, you don’t need a $200,000 degree or a $12,000 bootcamp. Most working developers today are self-taught and it's a lot cheaper than you (or your boss) might expect.

But let’s get back to the point.

The real reason we recommend starting first is because of the signal it sends to your boss and others.

For example

How many times have you said you’d learn something new, and then never got around to it? I’m guessing quite often because everyone does this.

But what if you start learning to code now before you ever ask your boss?

Well then it completely changes the conversation you have with them, because you’re not asking for permission. You’ve already taken the initiative. That shows follow-through, and it makes your boss way more likely to take you seriously.

Even better? It creates demand.

Because if you start using code to solve small problems in your role, perhaps automating tasks, saving time, or making reports faster, then your boss is going to notice. (People like it when you save or make them money it seems).

Not only that but it also puts one of the biggest objections to rest, which is: “What if we pay for you to learn to code and you leave?”

It's a common thing to worry about. However, the fact that you’ve already started to learn and haven’t left - but are instead showing how you want to improve at the current company shows that you’re already doing the work.

So when you ask them to help cover costs, they’re not investing in a maybe — they’re backing someone who’s already made an impact and securing you as a long term investment.

So take that first step. Build something small. Prove you're serious. When you make the ask, you’ll already have results to back it up and that makes all the difference.

Step #2. Make it all about them

The easiest way to get your boss onboard to paying for you to learn to code, is to make them see the benefits from their point of view, and not yours.

So how do we do this?

Well, we already know we should start to learn before we ask. However, if we’re smart about what we choose to learn we can increase our chances of them saying yes even more.

For example

• If your company already has a tech department, then look at what they’re using and start there and learn the same skills. If they run Machine Learning then follow a roadmap to help you get started, so you can show how you’re already on the path
• If your company outsources basic site updates, show how you could handle them internally with a bit of web development
• If you’re already working with developers and the communication is clunky, pick a course that teaches the tools they’re using so you can work more effectively together
• Alternatively, if they don’t have a tech department like this, then you can look at ways that coding could help, and then prove it by removing current obstacles

What like?

Well, if your team spends hours every week copying data between spreadsheets, learn a bit of Python ‘scripting’ and figure out how to automate it.

One of our students did this and automated a boring manual task, shared it with their manager, and ended up getting promoted into the dev team, before they even finished the course! It wasn’t a huge app. It just solved a real problem, and that was enough.

TL;DR

Before you make the pitch, do your homework.

Solve something that's an issue or align your learning with something that your company already cares about. If you can show them that it’s immediately useful and can make them or save them money, they’ll be jumping at the chance to help you skill up.

Just make sure that whatever language you start learning, the course is up to date and ideally has a community to help you succeed.

Step #3. Common objections + how to get past them

Let’s be honest. Even if you’ve done everything right — started learning, picked a course that solves real problems, and tied it to company goals — your boss still might hesitate, and that’s perfectly normal.

The good news is that most of the push back is usually the same common objections. And if you can answer them, then you can get past them.

Here are the four most common objections—and exactly how to respond.

Objection #1. We don’t have the budget right now

As we said earlier, most people think that learning to code is more expensive than it needs to be, thanks to high cost bootcamps and college courses.

So be prepared with the info up front

• $49/month is less than what most teams spend on coffee
• $299/year is the cost of a single team lunch or a SaaS tool you probably forgot you’re subscribed to
• $1,299 for lifetime access? That’s cheaper than hiring a freelancer or running a team offsite
• Better still - it’s tax deductible as employee training so it can come out of tax bills anyway

Plus, doing nothing costs more.

If they say no and you leave, they’ll need to post a job, run interviews, hire someone new, and onboard someone new who doesn’t already know the business. That’s a huge cost, in both time and money.

So you can frame it like this:

“I’ve already started learning using the free trial, and I’d love to keep going. It’s super affordable and I’m happy to do it in my own time. I just want to make sure what I’m learning supports what the company actually needs.”

This way you’re removing worries about costs and helping them see the benefits and how much they can make. (This is also why we recommend you come to them with ideas of how to improve - or better yet, some kind of automation done that's proven to already be saving you time).

Objection #2. We need you focused on your current role

Fair point. But learning to code doesn’t take you away from your job, in fact it often helps you do it better.

• You have to look at common problems from a systems point of view - often finding flaws and ways to save money
• You’re building skills that can automate repetitive tasks, speed up reporting, cut down manual work, and improve cross-team collaboration
• You’re not asking for time off or a huge commitment. In fact you’re doing this in your free time usually

The goal is to show them this isn’t a distraction. It’s an upgrade.

And if you start to save them money, they’ll happily start letting you learn on company hours and apply what you’re doing.

Objection #3. What if we pay for this and then you leave?

Ah yes, the big one. And look - if you’re learning to code, then you’re clearly looking to level up. That’s no secret.

The real question is whether they want you to do that here or somewhere else…

The reality is that by coming to them early, you’re showing that you intend to skill up and stay.

Not only that, but you’re giving them a chance to support your growth and plan ahead. They can backfill your current role gradually, move you into a tech-adjacent one, and retain someone who already understands the company and culture.

Or they can say no, lose both the opportunity and you and still have to replace the role anyway.

The mere fact that you’re bringing it to them, shows you want to stay. And it’s a great way to open conversations around promotions and moving to tech teams.

And if they need reassurance, you can say: “I’m not looking to leave. I’m looking to grow, and I’d love to do that here.”

Basically you just need to help them see that them paying to help you learn to code isn’t a risk. It’s a retention strategy.

Objection #4. Is this course really going to help us?

If this comes up, it’s just a sign they don’t see the link yet between your learning and their goals.

This is why we recommend you start learning first on your own so you can show the value to them, and explain what you’ve already done, what you’ve learned, what you’ve built, or what you’ve automated.

If you can save yourself one hour per week with code, that’s already 52 hours a year. (Or an entire work week).

Don’t just stay there though - go further:

• How many other people at the company could this also save time for?
• What would the combined impact be?
• How much would be saved in labor costs?
• How much money could be made working on other things?
• How could it improve their jobs?

Suddenly, them paying $1,299 for you to have a lifetime subscription seems like an absolute bargain right?

Especially because they’re getting someone who can not only help solve their problems, but knows them because they’ve been stuck with them for years!

TL;DR

Objections will be natural because you’re suddenly changing the status quo, but that’s fine. If you come at them like this and know what they need to hear, then they’ll be able to make educated decisions.

Step #4. Time to pitch your boss

Alright, this is the moment.

You’ve already taken initiative. You’ve already used coding to bring real value to the team. Now it’s time to make the pitch—to ask your boss to cover the cost so you can keep going, go further, and help even more.

This email should do four things:

• Explain that you’ve already started learning on your own
• Show exactly how that’s already helped the team
• Pitch the company on covering the cost
• And stack the benefits of saying yes, all in one message

Here’s a rough outline of what to say. Feel free to tweak it to your own needs.

Subject: Can we talk about covering my coding training?

Hey (Manager’s name),

I wanted to share something I’ve been working on behind the scenes. I’ve been learning to code in my own time, and I’ve already used those skills to (insert result — automate a recurring task, reduce manual work, improve a workflow, etc.).

For example

I (briefly describe what you built or improved), which saves us (X hours a week, reduced error risk, faster turnaround, etc). That’s just from a small amount of self-teaching so far, and it’s shown me how powerful this could be if I kept going.

I’m aiming to grow into a more technical role long-term, but I’d love to do that here at (company name) rather than looking elsewhere. We already spend time and money outsourcing things I could eventually take on directly, plus, I already understand the systems, the teams, and the way we work.

So here’s what I’d like to propose:

Would the company be open to covering the cost of my training?

I’m currently using a course on Zero To Mastery, and the pricing is really straightforward:

• $49/month
• $299/year
• Or $1,299 for lifetime access (all fully deductible as staff training)

I’m currently learning outside work hours, so this won’t interfere with my current responsibilities, but I want to make sure I’m building the right skills for the team.

If I can keep going, I think I can help us:

• Automate more repetitive tasks
• Reduce external contractor costs
• Move faster on small internal tools
• Improve collaboration between teams
• Free up current developers to focus on high-impact work

I also get that training someone always raises the question of retention, but I’m not learning to leave, as I like being here at (company). If anything, I’m just wanting to grow here, and I want to continue supporting the team and help build things internally, instead of us always needing to go outside for technical solutions.

Happy to show you what I’ve already done, and would love to talk about how we could structure this together.

Thanks, (Your name)

Remember:

You don’t need to use every bullet or benefit word-for-word, Just choose the ones that make sense for your role and the problems your company actually faces. If you know they’ll have a specific concern, raise it directly and resolve it the way we covered earlier.

The goal is to show the value that you can bring, to be clear that you want to stay, to remove objections, and to ask them to pay for it. This will then open up that conversation.

Step #5. What to do if they still say no?

So you made the pitch. You explained how your learning has already helped the team. You stacked the business benefits. And they still said no.

That’s disappointing but it doesn’t mean you stop.

Because here’s the thing: you’ve already done more than most people ever do. You’ve taken initiative, built something useful, and thought deeply about how to bring more value to your team. If your company won’t back that, someone else will.

Here’s how to move forward:

1. Find out why they said no and work on it

Be sure to ask them why they can’t say yes right now. If there’s a specific issue, ask how you can help get past it.

This shows commitment and determination.

2. Keep learning and build in public

Their “no” shouldn’t stop your momentum. Keep learning. Follow a proven roadmap. Build out your portfolio. And start sharing what you’re building on LinkedIn.

Even simple projects such as automating reports, streamlining a tool, or fixing a broken process are worth sharing.

These updates won’t just build confidence either. They’ll create visibility and you’ll start attracting attention from people who need exactly the kinds of skills you’re developing.

The more you build, the more options you’ll have — internally or elsewhere.

3. Revisit the conversation with stronger results

“No” today doesn’t mean “no” forever. It often just means “not yet.”

Keep track of the results you’re delivering through your learning. How much time you’re saving. How a task is now more accurate. How a tool you built replaced something you used to outsource.

Once you’ve got another win under your belt, come back with this:

“Since our last conversation, I built (X), and it’s already helped us (insert benefit). I’d love to keep going with this — are you open to revisiting the training budget?”

4. Use outside opportunities to create leverage - or level up completely

If your company won’t support you, start exploring the ones that will.

And no, you don’t need to quit tomorrow. But if you start getting interviews or job offers elsewhere, you can use that as leverage to reopen the conversation:

“I’ve had some interest from another company based on the work I’ve been doing, but I wanted to bring it to you first. If there’s a way to grow into a more technical role here, I’d love to stay and keep contributing internally.”

Even if they didn’t support you at the start, this gives them a chance to recognize what you’ve become and make a smart decision to keep you.

And if they still don’t? Well, now you have an offer at a company that does believe in you.

You don’t need permission to start

You don’t have to wait for a promotion. Or approval. Or even full confidence in yourself.

If you’ve been thinking about learning to code then this is your sign to just start. I personally give you permission to bet on yourself.

You don’t need to commit to a new career overnight. But if you take one step today and learn something useful, solve a small problem, and can show how it helps — you’ll have everything you need to make a strong pitch later.

And don't forget, for just this week, you can try every course on ZTM for free, with zero risk.

No credit card. No pressure. Just explore, learn something new, and see where it leads.

Maybe it’s getting your boss to pay for you to learn and you getting promoted. Or maybe it's the first step to you getting hired elsewhere.

Either way, you can bet your life will be very different this time next year!.

You just have to start.

P.S.

If you blow your boss away and they want to pay for other members of your team to upskill, then we also offer team rates for multiple ZTM memberships.