Though Black History Month is coming to end, we continue to celebrate the rich heritage and impact of the African American community on our nation, and honor and highlight our partners across the country.
For both Adriene Wright and Dominique Webb, the drive to become involved in BankWork$ with our partners Employ Milwaukee came from the chance to make a difference.
For Adriene, the draw to BankWork$ was rooted in the chance to leverage her more than 25 years in the financial services industry and “give back to the community and make a positive impact on those in underserved communities.”
For Dominique, it was the opportunity to build on her experience in financial services and continuing to help provide job training skills to people in underserved communities.
Today, this dynamic duo runs BankWork$, our eight-week training class through Employ Milwaukee, the local workforce development board serving Milwaukee County, with Adriene serving as an Instructor and Dominique as a Career Navigator.
“The opportunity that BankWork$ provides,” adds Dominique, is “life-changing.”
In 2020, the BankWork$ program moved from in-class training to a hybrid model, where half of the class was taught in a socially distant, PPE-compliant classroom and half was taught virtually using a new Learning Management System.
Adriene and Dominique were one of the early adopters of this new delivery model, as they worked tirelessly to learn the new tools and techniques so they could continue to teach BankWork$ despite the pandemic.
Adriene says her students are “hardworking, committed, and determined to overcome challenges” to achieve their goal of a career in financial services. “It’s an honor and privilege to be part of a program providing opportunities for individuals to sustain a career.”
What sets BankWork$ graduates apart from other applicants for roles with BankWork$’s employer partner is that they have received formal training in “preparing for the positions they are applying for,” says Dominque, from ethics to customer service to bank products to bank services.
That’s exactly why “these graduates are sought out and appealing and have successfully retained their roles at our Partner Banks,” added Adriene. “It’s an honor to be incorporated into such a pivotal part of someone’s life.”
Their students have been clear about their appreciation of the coaching and support that Adriene and Dominique provide.
“I’m really enjoying banking I love what I do,” says Shantell Gail. “I continue to push myself and learning new things and striving for greatness!”
For Dominique, one of the many rewards of being involved in BankWork$ is graduation day:
“I fight back tears, and it never gets old.”
Interested in learning more about the BankWork$ program with Employ Milwaukee, Adriene, and Dominique? Click here.
