Piece of advice; If you have wicked ass screenshots of some maps you have created for the source engine in your portfolio, its just going to be tossed in the pile. producers want something not done before, something that pops out at them, like a game character that only has 500 Polygons (tri's) but looks to have 2000 because of the proper use of texture maps..
well, yes and no...level design and character/environment art are two different fields. The demand for people who can model in a 3D suite is probably higher though, because there are more studios who publish for consoles, phones, etc - platforms where a level editing tool isn't standard and environment art and level design are done in 3D packages instead. I imagine the need for level designers will always be there, if only as a technical role (to design and plan levels on paper and prototype them, which is basically what a career level designer does anyway).
You're right, though, it's easier to be completely creative with blank canvases in an image editor and a 3D suite at your fingertips - sometimes I enjoy modeling and texture painting more than level design because you're not restricted to the limitations of the engine or the content provided to you with the game. If you're more interested in that stuff, I would suggest learning it over level design, since as engines get more complex and can handle more detail the gap between level designer and environment artist will become bridged; and some levels are created entirely in 3D suites already, anyway!
spends 15 minutes rolling on the floor laughing
You, not professional? That's not what my desktop says.
I'm telling you, any good game company will probably flood you with offers soon after BM is released.
Heh, thanks I guess?
I was just trying to get across the point that it's only my personal advice.
Also, there isn't a release date yet, we're shooting for 2009 but it's going to be a tight deadline.