24-year-old Koreatown resident Camren Meeks didn’t know he was interested in finances, let alone that he’d one day have a successful career in the industry.
A few years ago, Camren was majoring in child development and minoring in English. He was getting hands-on experience working as a teacher’s assistant when he discovered it wasn’t what he imagined.
“It didn’t feel like a good fit for me anymore,” Camren says. “I liked the idea of working in education but didn’t enjoy the actual job. I didn’t really know where I was going in life anymore.”
Then, his mom suggested he check out JVS SoCal. “One of my mom’s friends went through the BankWork$ career training program and worked at a credit union,” he explains.
Camren applied to this program that prepares participants to enter the financial services industry. Once in class, he was still unsure if it was the perfect fit but stayed focused because he didn’t want to be back at square one.
“I stuck with it, and in a few weeks, I became really interested in financial services—all the regulations behind it, how credit works, etc.,” shares Camren. “I fell in love with finance, and I’ve been lost in it ever since.”
BankWork$ also prepared Camren to carry himself professionally in a more formal environment (he wore a suit to class just like he would in an interview or at a bank) and to quickly identify and share product features and benefits with customers. He also got used to banking hours since the class was from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. About two weeks before the program ended, our employer partner, Bank of America, invited Camren’s class for a meet and greet. Branch managers and regional directors shared about the institution, its goals, and their personal career stories. “The first place I really got introduced to was Bank of America,” he says. “I felt like if all Bank of Americas is like this, that’s where I want to be.”
Several banking institutions were at the BankWork$ graduation to recruit talent, but Camren made a beeline for Bank of America. “Luckily, they accepted me, and I haven’t looked back,” he says. It turns out that Camren’s perseverance during the program was a great choice.
Camren works for Bank of America as a client service representative on Los Angeles’ Westside, handling cash transactions, check deposits, and money transfers. After a year and a half, he was promoted to relationship banker.
“The class prepared me to be a client service representative because we did a lot of role-playing,” Camren remembers. He was able to quickly move through onboarding because he already knew so much. “JVS SoCal’s BankWork$ was a big factor in my success. It became so ingrained in me.”
Now, Camren has a career he loves. “I love being able to help people every single day,” he shares. “That’s the most fulfilling part of my job. When people come in and have a problem, I have the power to help them solve it. I also like all the different people I meet from all over the city, country, and world because of the location in Venice. It has broadened my worldview.”
You can help others like Camren to discover careers they love. Find out how here.