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    Creative Leadership Academy

    Earn cash gift cards of up to $250 as you work virtually with creative and technology industry professionals to build your digital portfolio/resume and earn additional college and career opportunities.

2023 CLA Program

The Creative Leadership Academy (CLA) is now accepting applications for Spring 2023 and is open to college-aged youth ages 18-24. New CLA members, or Digital Apprentices, work alongside our college-aged staff and participate in weekly sessions with creative and technology professionals to build employability skills and establish digital portfolios.

CLA participants have the opportunity to earn a $250 stipend as you train with industry professionals and qualify for internships and employment with E4 Youth and our partners.

Past industry partners include Verizon Media, frog Design, Butler and Wunderman Thompson. Industry Studio Sessions also includes training as content creators for What Once Was.

 Apply now

About the Creative Leadership Academy

The Creative Leadership Academy (CLA) was established in 2017 and is comprised of both high school and college-aged youth of color. The CLA provides youth with professional level training and employment opportunities with creative and technology industry partners, and also provides professional development and support for educators working with youth of color of all ages. New CLA participants, known as Digital Apprentices, earn stipends as they build digital portfolios and become eligible for employment with E4Youth as a Creative Mentor to lead our local high school enrichment “Get Creative” clubs, or as a Digital Docent to create immersive content and media for various E4 programs. CLA participants are also preferred candidates for internship and employment opportunities with E4 Youth’s industry partners.

CLA Requirements:

  • Ages 18 – 24
  • 20 hours a month of CLA participation
    • Opt in to activities Mondays – Fridays
      • Portfolio/Resume Development
      • Virtual Talks with Industry Professionals
      • Employability Skill Development
      • Austin Digital Heritage Project Assignments
      • Personal SWOT Analysis
  • Mandatory participation for in person weekly CLA meetings on Mondays 6:30PM-9:30PM (location TBD) and online evening meetings Wednesdays, 6:00PM-8:45PM, plus individual hours totaling 10 weekly participation hours.
  • DATES: Monday, January 9th-Monday, May 15th, 2023