ViacomCBS: The ViacomCBS Program Creating Nontraditional Paths For Career Experience

“Programs like these pick me up and give me hope,” says Marvin Hernandez, a member of the inaugural Content for Change Academy.

Many of the participants in ViacomCBS’ new Content for Change Academy initiative didn’t graduate from college or take the so-called “traditional” route to obtaining a job or internship. The longstanding process of going to college to land that first gig has caused systemic barriers that leave behind many diverse storytellers.

ViacomCBS teamed up with Reel Works and its MediaMKRS workforce development program—which aims to build a talent pool that reflects the diversity of New York City by matching young professionals with job training opportunities across media organizations, including ViacomCBS—for its Content for Change Academy. The program provides entry-level creative and production roles to young professionals, without requiring enrollment or graduation from a traditional college or university, with the ultimate goal of full-time employment following the three month program.

Marvin Hernandez, one of seven members of the inaugural Content for Change Academy, attended college briefly after graduating high school and quickly decided it wasn’t for him. Instead, he looked to alternative programs that peaked his interest in video editing and the entertainment industry. He landed at Reel Works, a Brooklyn-based organization that provides emerging storytellers in underserved communities with mentorship for careers in media.