I am unfamilar with L.A., but as a general rule, jobs in cabinet shops can be easily had if you are willing to start at the bottom. Such things as showing up on time, good working habits, and the ability to get along with workmates are what most guys will look at first.

Working in someone else's shop is different from working for yourself; shop owners get set in their ways and you must be willing to work on their terms. The goal of the owners is to turn a profit and not your personal growth in the trade; you will still need to learn yourself and not expect anyone to teach you. That's life, a do-it-yourself-thing.

The downside of going into the biz is that beginning jobs are lower paid and the work is usually menial. There are usually more openings in large shops, but the work is usually repeditive. Since you post here and likely have a lot of hobbist time in woodworking, chances are that you can start at a higher level and move up quickly.