OnPoint Community Credit Union Honors Portland Workforce Alliance With $100K Award to Advance Financial Education for High School Students
The award builds on OnPoint and PWA’s lasting partnership to serve Oregon youth
Portland, Ore., November 2, 2023—Portland Workforce Alliance (PWA) is set to expand its financial education initiatives with a $100,000 award from OnPoint Community Credit Union. The Portland Workforce Alliance was recognized with the OnPoint Award for Financial Education Innovation for its commitment to providing financial education opportunities to youth.
This funding will help PWA integrate financial literacy into its career development programs, equipping Oregon’s high school students with critical financial skills.
“Workforce readiness and financial education go hand-in-hand. Through this award, PWA will help young people access impactful career opportunities and support them in making wise financial decisions with their earnings. As a result, our community will benefit by having a financially empowered future workforce,” said Vincent Pollard, Financial Wellness Manager, OnPoint Community Credit Union. “OnPoint has been a proud partner of PWA for many years and we look forward to providing more financial education opportunities for students across Oregon.”
Multi-year partnership builds financial education opportunities for Oregon’s high school students
OnPoint has donated $22,500 over the past three years to fund PWA career development programs. The credit union has also sent 30 employee volunteers to schools and community events since 2021 to provide 130 service hours through mock employment interviews, mentorships, money management workshops and career-readiness programs.
OnPoint participates in PWA’s NW Youth Careers Expo, an annual event connecting high school students with colleges, apprenticeship centers and the region’s leading employers. The expo provides hands-on learning, demonstrations, mock employment interviews, career workshops and the chance for students to talk directly with professionals about college and career options.
“We deeply appreciate OnPoint Community Credit Union’s decision to invest in students and their families through Portland Workforce Alliance,” said Susan Nielsen, Executive Director, Portland Workforce Alliance. “We are already seeing the early impact of this investment, and we are excited for what is to come.”
PWA works with local employers and educators to create experiences that help high school students, such as Parkrose High School senior Khanh My Tran, develop their career aspirations, build career skills, connect with industry professionals and work toward their college and career goals.
“I got a lot of different connections as well as resources,” said Tran about her time exploring career dreams and building future plans through the PWA Youth Impact Council and the PWA Creative Careers Mentor Program. “It was also really fun.”
PWA’s mission is to build partnerships that improve Oregon’s graduation rate, support career readiness, create a strong and inclusive workforce, and help regional employers develop and diversify their job candidate pool. PWA serves more than 7,500 high school youth every year in the Parkrose, Reynolds, Gresham-Barlow, Portland Public and North Clackamas school districts, as well as Oregon Charter Academy.
About the OnPoint Award for Financial Education Innovation
The OnPoint Award for Financial Education Innovation honors an organization in Oregon and SW Washington that is an innovator in incorporating financial education into the work they do. This award provides vital funding to help build capacity and scale the impact of financial education initiatives.
The OnPoint Award for Financial Education Innovation recognizes an organization in our community that provides impactful financial education programming in innovative new ways. This $100,000 award is focused on building capacity for the organization to expand its work in financial education. Organizations recognized by this award have shown substantial, long-term impact on building financial wellness in our communities.
OnPoint was founded in 1932 by 16 schoolteachers and continues to honor its founders’ mission to provide quality education in the region. Learn more about the credit union’s commitment to students and teachers in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
ABOUT ONPOINT COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION
OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 522,000 members and with assets of $8.7 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Union’s membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. OnPoint Community Credit Union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). More information is available at www.onpointcu.com or 503-228-7077 or 800-527-3932.
ABOUT PORTLAND WORKFORCE ALLIANCE
The nonprofit PWA sees meaningful access to career development for youth as a matter of social and economic justice. PWA works with local employers and educators to create experiences that help high school students develop their career aspirations, build career skills, connect with industry professionals and work toward their college-and-career goals. PWA welcomes all students, with a special focus on underrepresented and under-resourced communities. PWA’s mission is to build enduring partnerships that improve Oregon’s graduation rate; support career readiness; create a strong and inclusive workforce; and help regional employers develop and diversify their pipelines of talent.
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