I believe that we can help level the pay gap by not dealing with a pay gap at all. Since this process is uniquely built to teach, everyone starts from the same level of knowledge. Everyone is paid the same amount. Pay rates are roughly comparable with 80% percentile industry levels: about $25/hour.

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The first apprenticeship project is always unpaid for each cohort. The cohort will be working on a real, community-focused nonprofit website for a maximum of 3 months, about 5-10 hours per week.

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How will Apprentices be selected for roles?

We don’t have roles in the traditional design or engineering team. Apprentices on a paid client project will be able to pick and choose from an array of tasks relevant to the existing project. Some projects won’t include intensive UX research, some projects will not focus on UI design - it depends on the client’s needs.

Tasks will be assigned a “bounty” based on an averaged, estimated number of hours.

Why the bounty model works well for Level 11 Technology

• Encourages Ownership and Autonomy – Apprentices choose tasks that match their skills and availability.
• Pays for Deliverables, Not Hours – No time tracking, just clear output expectations.
• Ensures Fair Pay – Bounties are structured so that, on average, apprentices earn $20-$25/hr based on expected effort.
• Reduces Micromanagement – We don’t have to manage hourly timesheets, just track deliverables.
• Scales Easily – As client work increases, we will create more bounties.

Example Bounty System, Not Finalized

The following information is for example purposes, and has not been finalized.

• It mimics real-world freelancing while offering predictability and structured learning.
• It ensures apprentices get fair pay based on effort, not just a flat salary.
• It avoids the overhead of hourly tracking, which can be a pain in traditional internships.

Bounty System (Proposed)