Since its founding in 2018, Level It Up has been dedicated to transforming the employment landscape for skilled autistic job seekers in Manitoba. Our mission began with a simple but powerful vision: to bridge the significant gap in support and services for autistic adults who had completed training in tech but faced persistent barriers to securing meaningful employment in the sector. The initial training process was adapted from a model used by Meticulon, a software developer consultancy, and we are deeply grateful to them for sharing this approach with us.
From Tech to STEAM
Over the years, our work has evolved to meet the growing needs of a wider range of autistic job seekers. What started as a tech-focused initiative has expanded to encompass Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM), reflecting the diverse skill sets of our community. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift, pushing us to innovate and offer our training virtually using Zoom, PowerPoint, and email.
By 2021, we took a major step forward by partnering with the University of Manitoba and Canadian Mennonite University to extend our intensive training and assessment process to students preparing for work-integrated learning, co-op placements, and practicum opportunities. As we engaged with post-secondary students, we realized that our approach needed refining. The training and assessment process we were using was too burdensome for students—with over 50 tasks assigned during a three-week course, it was overwhelming for those still pursuing their studies.
Introducing Level It Up Learning
With invaluable support from the Canadian Association for Supported Employment’s Innovation Lab, we took a step back to reassess. We streamlined the assessment process, clarified our learning objectives, and focused on delivering more concise and impactful content. This led to the creation of our cutting-edge e-Learning platform, developed with expert guidance from Neon Train.
Our new platform includes eight dynamic learning modules tailored to the unique needs of autistic job seekers as they navigate the transition into the workforce. These modules cover essential topics that help participants build important skills for career success. In addition, we are training instructors to use the platform and guide additional learners, empowering these new instructors to incorporate our platform into their own recruitment and career development practices.
Filling a Critical Gap
The Level It Up program, now enhanced by Level It Up Learning, continues to fill a critical gap in services for autistic job seekers. By equipping them with the tools and support they need, we are working to unlock the potential of an underrepresented talent pool. We are excited about the future and look forward to seeing more autistic job seekers successfully enter and thrive in the workforce.