MAPLE GROVE, Minn., April 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Local member-owned cooperative TopLine Federal Credit Union has partnered with Keystone Community Services’ Best Buy Teen Tech Center to help young adults prepare for their futures through a new program called Career Pathways Program.
The Career Pathways Program, is a youth job readiness program aimed to help young people in lower-income communities, especially from underrepresented groups, prepare for the world of work. Youth ages 16-18 have the opportunity to focus on a specific area of technology (e.g., web development, tech support, graphic design), develop their workforce readiness skills, and gain real-world work experience which culminates in an internship in the summer. The program’s goal is to help fill open positions in the S.T.E.M. workforce by focusing on professional technology tools and life skills valued in the workforce (problem-solving, initiative, collaboration).
TopLine was tapped to participate in the first-ever Clubhouse-to-Career Pathways to Success “Planting Roots Teen Conference” that was held virtually for participants from across the U.S., including Boston, San Antonio, and St. Paul. The conference consisted of four sessions, presented by professionals from across country. Sessions include: 1) Inclusion and Engagement, 2) Arts, Activism, and Self-Advocacy, 3) Building Your Resume and Professional Network, and 4) Financial Literacy.
TopLine was honored to facilitate the financial literacy session at the conference. The session provided participants with the foundational knowledge they need to prepare for the financial challenges of adulthood. TopLine worked with the teens to establish a broad knowledge base of practical financial skills that will serve them well as they pursue their dreams after high school. Topics included personal finance basics like Gross Income vs. Net Income, Goal Setting, Creating a Budget, and the Importance of Saving by Paying Yourself First. All participants received a copy of our Personal Money Management Guide to share with family and friends, and for future use.
“We were thrilled to have been asked to participate at the first-ever Career Pathways conference to plant the seed and build the foundation for life beyond high school by strengthening professional skills and developing practical skills like personal finance knowledge,” says Vicki Roscoe Erickson, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, at TopLine Federal Credit Union. “We value the opportunity to give back to our communities, and believe that reaching students while they are still in high school is key to nurturing a savvy, responsible attitude towards money management. These young people are earning and spending their own money for the first time, and we can work with them to prepare for a lifetime of wise money management decisions.”
Keystone’s youth programs offer a variety of ways for youth to build social and emotional skills, explore personal interests and learn about being a part of a community. For more information, visit https://keystoneservices.org/youth-families/enrichment-activities.
TopLine Federal Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota’s 13th largest, with assets of more than $585 million and serves over 46,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit cooperative offers a complete line of financial services, as well as auto and home insurance, from its five branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Paul’s Como Park — as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington Counties and their immediate family members. Visit us on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TopLineFederalCreditUnion.
CONTACT:
Vicki Roscoe Erickson
Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications
verickson@toplinecu.com
763.391.0872
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4139e7fd-142f-4e92-b373-4d2171b5f114