For years, Karl Leone pursued a career in the entertainment industry, working behind the scenes on television and film productions for some of Hollywood’s biggest studios. After moving from New York to Los Angeles in 2016, he built an impressive résumé, working on productions for Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, and Paramount while following his passion for storytelling and the arts.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic brought the entertainment industry to a standstill.
Like thousands of production professionals, Karl suddenly found himself out of work. Although film and television projects eventually resumed, opportunities became less consistent, and the rising cost of living forced him to rethink his future.
“I needed to figure out my next steps,” Karl recalls. “I wanted a career that was stable, meaningful, and would allow me to help people.”
His search for a new direction led him to JVS SoCal’s WeHoWorks (West Hollywood Work Center), where he attended résumé workshops and career coaching sessions. It was there that career counselors introduced him to JVS SoCal’s MediWork$ program, a career pathway that would ultimately change his life.
Although intrigued by the opportunity, Karl admits he was initially skeptical that such a comprehensive healthcare training program could really be offered at no cost.
That skepticism quickly disappeared.
Throughout the program, Karl found unwavering support from instructors, career coaches, and staff who continued checking in on him long after graduation. More importantly, MediWork$ helped him discover that healthcare offered exactly what he had been searching for: purpose, stability, and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
One of the aspects Karl valued most was MediWork$’s direct connection to employer partners. Representatives from organizations including RadNet, Cedars-Sinai, and AltaMed visited the classroom to explain career opportunities, hiring expectations, and the many entry-level positions available to graduates.
For someone with no prior healthcare experience, those conversations were invaluable.
“They made the healthcare industry feel obtainable,” Karl says. Instead of guessing which jobs matched his skills, he learned exactly where his experience could translate into a successful new career.
That preparation paid off almost immediately.
At our unique graduation-job fair, Karl interviewed directly with recruiters from RadNet and was hired within days as a Patient Service Representative at their Breastlink Beverly Hills imaging center. His transition was seamless: from recruiter, to hiring manager, to being trained by another JVS SoCal graduate, demonstrating the strength of JVS SoCal ‘s employer partnerships.
Today, Karl describes MediWork$ as a life-changing experience.
“I could have found other jobs to fill the financial gap,” he says, “but this gave me purpose.”
If you’re inspired by Karl ‘s story and would like to help someone else achieve their dream, please donate today.