P4W, PA Bankers Association, elected officials, kick-off BankWork$ program in Pittsburgh

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jen Pajewski, director of special relationships
Phone: (412) 552-7098
E-mail: jpajewski@partner4work.org
Web: www.partner4work.org 

PARTNER4WORK, PA BANKERS ASSOCIATION, ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF BANKWORK$ TRAINING PROGRAM

PITTSBURGH (Aug. 21, 2019) — Partner4Work (P4W), in collaboration with the PA Bankers Association and several of the region’s leading financial institutions, announced the launch of BankWork$® Pittsburgh, a nationally recognized, industry-developed training program aimed at helping individuals prepare for careers in retail banking.

"It’s well established that Pittsburgh’s retail banking landscape has expanded recently and competition for talent, as well as customers, is front and center in helping the financial services industry succeed in the region,” said Earl Buford, Partner4Work CEO. “BankWork$ can help level the playing field – both for businesses and for job seekers – and help individuals get hired in their own communities.”

Developed by the banking sector, BankWork$ prepares individuals with barriers to employment to become qualified for positions such as tellers, customer service representatives, and personal bankers. Students also receive soft-skills training, coaching and mentoring from industry professionals, interview prep and other hands-on activities. The eight-week training program is set to begin September 30 at the Energy Innovation Center Institute in the Hill District.

BankWork$ is a program of the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, based in Seattle. Les Biller, a former COO of Wells Fargo & Co., and Sheri Biller, a community activist and volunteer, launched BankWork$ in 2006. It operates in 13 other U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Dallas, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.

Recruitment for the program is open now, with a specific interest in the recruitment of Hill District residents. Interested students should visit https://www.partner4work.org/bankworks-for-students/ to get started.

The program is offered at no cost to students through the support of Citizens Bank, PNC, Bank of America, Northwest Bank, First Commonwealth Bank, Dollar Bank, Huntington Bank, S&T, and the John T. and Margaret S. McCartan Charitable Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation.

About Partner4Work

Nationally recognized for innovation, Partner4Work, formerly Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, is the workforce development organization that connects funding, expertise and opportunities for employers, job seekers, agencies and policymakers to develop a thriving workforce in the Pittsburgh area. As stewards of more than $21 million in public and private workforce funds, Partner4Work oversees and funds workforce programs for adults, dislocated workers and youth; educates the community through labor market analytics; and implements innovative solutions to the region’s systemic workforce challenges. More information is available at www.partner4work.org.

About PA Bankers Association

PA Bankers has been bringing banks and bankers together for more than 120 years to learn, grow, serve and engage with their peers, communities, and lawmakers. The association has built a strong reputation as a leading advocate for banking policies at the state and federal levels, as well as the delivery of quality education, products, and services for banks of all sizes and their employees. Follow the Pennsylvania Bankers Association on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter (@PABankers).

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 Jobs.Vision.Success Southern California (JVS SoCal). As part of the 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 will be in up to 15 markets by end of 2019. For more information, visit www.bankworks.org.

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