HHEC has identified job opportunities for young people within Hip-Hop culture and promote these opportunities through career cyphers; 4-6 week long workshops that introduce the STEAM fields of work including; journalism, media production, music production and tech jobs. This immersive learning experience of STEAM meets entrepreneurship teaches youth how to create & market their work, develop business plans and create budgets.
- Virtual Internship: In May 2020, HHEC was funded by The Bush Foundation to launch its first virtual internship program as part of the Career Cypher initiative and in partnership with the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota. The program included the participation of LaGuardia High School in NY, and View Park High School in California. Students from across the country went through a summer-long, in-depth career exploration including skills-building, and collaborative project-based programs. Students were introduced to professionals through a speaker series, and curated their own online festival as a culminating event. Since then, over 200 students have participated in the training program.
- ‘The Career Cypher: Guide to Independent Artists’: In partnership with The Residency, a nonprofit organization based in Seattle founded by Hip-Hop artist Macklemore, HHEC held a six week virtual workshop in spring 2022 with students participating from across the country including; California, Washington, and Wisconsin.