BankWork$™ Partners with Association House of Chicago to Bring Eight-Week Financial Services Industry Career Training Program to Chicago
The free training program offers an opportunity to launch a career in
banking to individuals with barriers to employment
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BankWork$™ announced today that it has partnered with Association House
of Chicago to expand to Chicago to offer its eight-week free training
program that places low-income young adults and those with barriers to
employment in jobs in the financial services industry. BankWork$™
already offers the program in six cities across the country – Los
Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Phoenix, Portland, Ore. and Houston –
and will also expand to Denver and Chicago later this year.
“BankWork$™ has propelled more than 1,000 graduates across the country
into careers in the financial services industry,” said Colleen Anderson,
Executive Director at BankWork$™. “These jobs as bank tellers, customer
service representatives and personal bankers are a path to stability and
are stepping stones to rewarding careers in the financial services
industry.”
BankWork$™ partners with leading nonprofit vocational training
organizations in each market who deliver the program locally. The
eight-week course equips graduates with the hard and soft skills needed
to become qualified candidates for in-demand jobs at local bank
branches. The program has a 72 percent placement rate, and 82 percent of
graduates placed in jobs in the financial services industry remain
employed six months after graduation.
“The banking industry is always in search of the best talent,” said
William Fanter, Senior Vice President, Chicago Region Manager at U.S.
Bank. “BankWork$™ graduates are unique because they arrive on the job
ready to go from day one, and they are committed to this industry. The
program is able to provide candidates from a diverse set of backgrounds,
and that’s important to the banks.”
Association House of Chicago is a historic settlement house serving the
community for over a century to offer human services programs that
address both immediate needs and long-term personal development.
Association House works with a multicultural, largely Latino and
African-American population of all ages in Chicago’s under-served
neighborhoods.
“There is often a gap between earning a high school diploma and having
the skills and confidence needed to start a professional career,” said
Harriet Sadauskas, President of Association House of Chicago. “The
training provided by BankWork$™ will prepare individuals for a
sustainable career with the possibility for advancement. It’s an
opportunity that could be a life-changer for many of the people that we
serve.”
About BankWork$™
BankWork$™ was started in 2006 in Los Angeles by The Sheri and Les
Biller Family Foundation in partnership with regional workforce
development leader JVS Los Angeles. The program currently has operations
in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Phoenix, Portland, Ore. and
Houston. As part of a five-year, $4 million national expansion in
partnership with Bank of America, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, and the Sheri
and Les Biller Family Foundation, the program is expanding to Denver and
Chicago later this year and will be in 12-15 markets by 2019. For more
information, visit www.bankworks.org.
About Association House of Chicago
Association House of Chicago is a non-profit organization offering human
services programs that address both immediate and personal development
needs. Based in Greater Humboldt Park, Association House works with a
multicultural, largely Latino and African-American population of all
ages in Chicago’s under-served neighborhoods. Association House offers
immediate assistance and helps participants achieve independence through
programs across five service areas: Community Services, from basic needs
to adult education and pre-employment training; Behavioral Health
offering support and mental health services; Child Welfare; Prevention &
Education Development programs, including health & nutrition education;
and Association House High School, which offers support to remove
barriers for students seeking a second chance to earn their diploma.
These bilingual, evidence-based programs, conducted by seasoned staff in
a caring, welcoming environment, provide a cohesive safety net for
nearly 20,000 Chicagoans each year. Find out more at www.associationhouse.org.
Contacts
Olmstead Williams Communications
Paulo Acuña, 310-824-9000
pacuna@olmsteadwilliams.com
or
Association
House of Chicago
Nicole Way, 773-772-8114
nway@associationhouse.org
