Congratulations to the March 2026 BankWork$ Graduates!
In partnership with Employ Milwaukee, WBA is proud to bring the nationwide BankWork$ program to Wisconsin. BankWork$ is a free, eight-week training program to prepare participants — primarily individuals from under-resourced communities — for retail banking careers.
Pictured left to right (back row): Shelby Odom, Laron Hayes, Amanda Snow, Charlene Thompson, Jamara Boyd-Wiley, WBA President & CEO Rose Oswald Poels, and Brettney Spiller (BankWork second instructor)
Pictured left to right (front row): Adriene Wright (BankWork Instructor), Jenise Rodgers, Ally Espinoza, Von Geaux, and Yazmin Rosales
Upon graduation, each class then takes part in a hiring event featuring BankWork$ employer partners.
In March, a class of nine students — including Shelby Odom, Laron Hayes, Amanda Snow, Charlene Thompson, Jamara Boyd-Wiley, Jenise Rodgers, Ally Espinoza, Von Geaux, and Yazmin Rosales — graduated from the program. WBA’s President & CEO Rose Oswald Poels attended the ceremony and congratulated the graduates on their achievement.
Over the course of the eight-week program, students learned the hard and soft skills necessary for entry-level retail and operations positions. BankWork$ was developed in 2019 to open a door for individuals to help them find and succeed in well-paying jobs that can lead to a lasting career in banking.
To learn more about the program, or how your bank can get involved, please click here.
