Life Up

Level Up

Life Up

Level Up trains underserved Central American youth in tech to supply ethical, high-quality nearshoring talent for global companies.

Guatemala City, Guatemala

GTM

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

Across Central America, millions of young people face systemic barriers to accessing quality employment. Despite a growing global demand for digital talent, especially in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, the region suffers from underinvestment in tech education, outdated public curricula, and limited industry-aligned training. This has led to high youth unemployment, increased migration, and a deepening inequality gap. In Guatemala and El Salvador alone, over 70% of youth are either unemployed or underemployed, and more than 50% live in poverty. At the same time, the U.S. and other countries face a shortage of over 1 million tech workers, creating an opportunity for ethical nearshoring. The problem lies not in the lack of potential, but in the absence of a scalable, inclusive, and employer-aligned training infrastructure. Most existing programs are short, disconnected from hiring pipelines, and inaccessible to marginalized populations. Level Up addresses this mismatch.

"Life Up" by Level Up, is a regional workforce development program that transforms underserved youth in Central America into job-ready digital professionals. Through an intensive, five-phase program delivered by Level Up, participants are trained in high-demand fields such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, AI, and data analytics. Our bootcamps’ curriculums combine synchronous instruction, asynchronous content, AI-powered coaching, and real-world job shadowing to ensure technical mastery and professional growth. Beyond technical skills, our 360° approach includes soft skills, well-being, and continuous mentorship to increase graduation and employment rates. Graduates receive dual certification from Level Up and institutions like Tecnológico de Monterrey. Our embedded job placement pipeline includes partnerships with regional representations of IBM, AWS and Microsoft, ensuring direct hiring pathways. The program uses a scalable digital platform, LMS, ERP integration, and data tracking to optimize learning and employment outcomes. "Life Up" enables international companies to tap into a culturally aligned, English-speaking, cost-effective talent pool in the same time zone as North America; a strategic advantage over traditional outsourcing regions. By linking inclusive education to global market demand, "Life Up" positions Central America as a human capital hub, promoting ethical nearshoring and inclusive prosperity.

"Life Up" serves young people aged 17–29 across Central America, primarily from low-income, underserved urban and peri-urban communities. Many are first-generation high school graduates with limited access to higher education, digital training, or quality employment opportunities. Barriers such as economic instability, lack of connectivity, low-quality public education, and social exclusion prevent them from integrating into the growing global digital economy. Our program provides them with a clear and structured pathway to become competitive in high-demand technology careers. Through fully subsidized, cohort-based training, participants develop technical, soft, and professional skills, supported by AI coaching and mentorship. They graduate with dual certifications and direct access to job opportunities through our network of partner companies. "Life Up" transforms the lives of participants by multiplying their income potential (often by a factor of five) and breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty. By focusing on personal development, resilience, and employability, we enable our learners to become job-ready, and also confident contributors to their communities and the economy. With over 500 young people already trained and a target of 20,000 by 2030, our program "Life Up" is building a new generation of digital talent from the bottom up.