Wells Fargo Invests in the Careers of Coloradans in Need
June 2020
Wells Fargo generously awarded Goodwill a $25,000 grant to support career training for 200 unemployed or underemployed individuals through the BankWork$ program.
The free eight-week BankWork$ curriculum provides participants with skills training for jobs as bank tellers, customer service representatives and personal bankers. Students have the chance to practice job interviews, receive placement assistance and ongoing career coaching and mentoring.
Fostering long-term employability and career stability, BankWork$ has a strong track record for launching graduates on a path to financial freedom and greater independence:
- 78 percent of participants graduate from the program with an industry-recognized credential
- 85 percent of graduates are placed in employment with local banking institutions
- 80 percent of placed graduates will have job retention six months after placement, and 80 percent will have job retention one year after placement.
Skani is one of BankWork$’ recent graduates. Economic challenges and caring for her daughter who has a disability resulted in frequent moves and financial instability. The search for career opportunities brought Skani’s family from Guam to Hawaii to Colorado, where she enrolled in BankWork$.
At first, Skani’s shy nature made the curriculum challenging. Presenting to a room full of people made her want to turn and run. But no matter how tough the challenge, one of Skani’s amazing qualities is her ability to “begin with the end in mind.” With five children and a husband working long hours, it would have been easy for her to throw in the towel. But she never gave in. Skani completed homework assignments with excellence, polished her public speaking skills, took constructive feedback and applied it.
By providing life-changing career opportunities for qualified candidates, BankWork$ helps us serve the financial needs of diverse communities across the country.” Tracy Curtis Executive Vice President and North Oregon Regional President, Wells Fargo BankWork$ Advisory Board Member
By the time she completed BankWork$, Skani was ready to work as a bank teller—and able to flawlessly deliver a 30-second elevator speech. At the post-graduation hiring fair, she had the Wells Fargo team in the palm of her hand. Skani got a job offer on the spot—her dream job at the branch she wanted. Skani is now a full-time teller and loving her new life as a banking professional!
She says, “Being a part of BankWork$ has taught me to go outside my comfort zone to grow and become a better version of myself.”
Thank you, Wells Fargo, for your investment in the future careers of Coloradans!