E4 Level Up
Career advancement connecting experienced E4Youth participants to employer-funded professional opportunities and visible leadership roles.
E4 Level Up is for E4Youth participants who have moved through earlier ecosystem stages and are ready for the next step: real careers. If you've built skills through Educate experiences, produced professional work through Empower, and demonstrated leadership readiness, Level Up connects you to employer-funded positions and career advancement opportunities across Austin's creative technology sector.
E4 Level Up is a structured career advancement experience within the Elevate stage of the E4 Ecosystem:
Stipend-Supported Cohorts — Participants enter structured cohorts with stipend support, focusing on advanced professional development, industry networking, and career readiness.
Employer Matching — Level Up connects participants with employer partners across Austin — creative agencies, tech companies, media organizations, heritage institutions, and more.
Paid Pilot Placements — Real-world work placements with partner organizations, designed to demonstrate capability and build employer relationships.
Employer-Funded Roles (Expanding) — Full professional positions funded by industry partners. This pathway is actively growing as more Austin employers connect with the E4Youth talent pipeline.
Return-to-Ecosystem Mentorship — Level Up participants are encouraged to return as mentors and facilitators, strengthening the Engage stage for the next generation.
Advanced professional skills in creative technology
Industry networking and employer relationships
Career navigation and professional development
Leadership and mentorship capability
Financial stability through stipend-supported and employer-funded pathways
Long-term career trajectory in Austin's creative economy
Destiny Okafor
WOW attendee → DSP → Get Creative! → E4 Level Up cohort → employer-funded UX designer
Destiny entered E4 Level Up with a strong portfolio and clear direction. The Level Up cohort connected her with industry mentors who refined her UX design approach. A paid pilot placement at an Austin creative agency turned into a full employer-funded position. She now returns to E4Youth quarterly to review portfolios and mentor Get Creative! participants.
“E4Youth didn't hand me a job — they helped me build a career I didn't know existed.”
— Destiny Okafor
Apply
E4 Level Up accepts experienced E4Youth participants with demonstrated skills and portfolio work.
Partner as an Employer
Austin businesses and organizations can join the Level Up employer network, creating paid pilot placements and employer-funded roles.
Mentor
Industry professionals can serve as Level Up mentors, offering career guidance and professional networking.
Get Started
Ready to be part of this experience? Connect with E4Youth today.