BankWork$ was developed to open a door for young adults and adults from low income and minority communities to help them find and succeed in well-paying jobs that can lead to a lasting career. Students are often those who otherwise would not be considered a qualified candidate for positions in banking/financial services. Participants in the BankWork$ program will be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma or GED, have basic computer skills, and previous cash handling and customer service experience. Employ Milwaukee will assess individuals prior to enrollment to ensure eligibility requirements are met. BankWork$ classes will be provided at no cost to the participants.
BankWork$ classes are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for eight weeks. Topics include workplace professionalism, deepening the customer relationship, financial services fundamentals, and preparing for employment. Employ Milwaukee will schedule days and times based on market demand. The classes will be delivered as a hybrid model.
BankWork$ cohorts are offered in Milwaukee. If you are interested in joining the July 7th cohort, please complete the inquiry form below.
When Cori Ellis found the BankWork$ program, she was newly unemployed and living in an apartment that was falling apart. She applied to the program but didn’t get in due to a lack of customer service experience. Cori got a part-time job at a grocery store and re-applied for BankWork$ once she had the necessary experience, and was accepted to the program.
“I felt like a whole new world of opportunity opened up to me,” she said.
While participating in BankWork$, Cori gained insight into employment in banking, financial wellness, and in-depth approaches to the modern job market.
“By the time we got to graduation with the on-the-spot interviews, I felt like I could take on the world,” she said.
At the BankWork$ graduation ceremony and interview event, a couple of financial institutions showed immediate interest in Cori. After further communication, she decided to join BMO Harris as an Associate Banker.
“I'm still with them and I love it,” Cori said. “It's nice being with a company that is just as invested in my growth as the program was.”
After two years with BMO, Cori has earned an award for being a top performer and will go on a trip to Canada to be recognized.
“I’m very grateful for BankWork$ helping to set me up for this opportunity. I hope many more folx out there get to share a similar experience and outcome as I was lucky enough to have.”
BankWork$® is partnering with Employ Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) to expand its eight-week training program to southeastern Wisconsin at no cost to the trainee. BankWork$® is a public-private partnership that primarily trains participants from underserved neighborhoods for careers in retail banking. The Milwaukee partnership will place adults with barriers to employment, in jobs in the financial services industry. The program is currently operating in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tacoma.
Training prepares job seekers for success in occupations including Bank Teller, Customer Service Representative, Relationship Banker and Personal Banker candidates to local banks/financial institutions. Training topics include workplace professionalism, deepening the customer relationship, financial services fundamentals, and preparing for employment. Employer partners receive exclusive access to a graduation ceremony and hiring event after each class! Employer partners will have 50-100 prepared candidates to interview each year.
Are you interested in becoming a BankWork$® employer partner?
For more information, please contact Oscar Delgado at 414-270-1785 at Oscar.Delgado@employmilwaukee.org.
Employ Milwaukee
1322 North 8th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53205
Phone: (414) 270-1700Fax: (414) 225-2375
Employ Milwaukee is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider. If you need this information in an alternate format, or in a different language at no cost to you, please contact us at (414) 270-1700. Deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired callers can contact us through Wisconsin Relay Service at 711.
