St. Petersburg College (SPC) and BayFirst National Bank will host a ribbon-cutting event at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, in celebration of the launch of a new certification program. The “Growing in Financial Services” certification program is designed to provide hands-on training to those interested in starting or advancing their career in the financial services industry and aid in attracting non-traditional students and individuals to banking.
The new program will offer separate courses in three core areas of banking: Personal Banking, Teller Line Production, and Business Banking, each developed by industry experts at St. Petersburg-based BayFirst, one of the nation’s leading community banks. The curriculum for each track will be presented in a six-week course, culminating in arranged meetings with recruiters after each. The first, focused on Personal Banking, begins on Oct. 25.
“Every successful career in banking starts with a strong foundation, and as a forward-thinking community bank, it is our goal to provide the next generation of bankers the tools they need to impact the lives of their customers and advance the banking industry as a whole,” said BayFirst Community Engagement Officer Valerie Fulbright. “BayFirst is proud and excited to have found a like-minded partner in our own backyard in St. Pete College, and we look forward to contributing to the long-term growth of our community together.”
Belinthia Berry, SPC Dean of Workforce Development and Corporate Partnerships, said corporate partnerships are the key element in workforce education.
“Building economic mobility takes strong partnerships with by-in from the industry to shape our workforce education programs,” Berry said. “This financial services certificate program is one example of providing short-term training to residents in our community that leads to employment.”
Growing in Financial Services is open to all SPC students and the public. Participants must hold a high school diploma or GED. However, there are no college course prerequisites, and no banking experience is required. Each course includes one online and one in-person class per week, totaling 12 classes for each of the following courses:
- Personal Banking – Learn about money management to assist customers in reaching their financial goals, plus foundational sales and regulatory account opening knowledge and skills to engage in relationship banking.
- Teller Line Production– Learn the fundamentals of customer service using a real teller line constructed specifically for the program, and the skills required for front-line banking, including cash handling, transaction processing, and more.
- Business Banking – Learn about the financial needs of businesses as well as the fundamentals of commercial and Small Business Administration (SBA) lending, treasury management, deposit services, and more.
Courses will be offered at SPC’s Downtown Center, beginning Oct. 25. The cost is $1,200 each and can be completed individually or consecutively as a series. Participants may qualify for a training voucher through CareerSource Pinellas to complete the program at no cost. To learn more about how to apply for the voucher, contact 727-524-4344 or WIOAinfo@careersourcepinellas.com or visit www.careersourcepinellas.com.
For more information about the Growing in Financial Services certification program, contact Christopher Cain at cain.christopher@spcollege.edu. To register for the certification program, visit here.
** In celebration of the launch, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception will take place at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 at the SPC Downtown Center, room DT-127, 244 2nd Ave. N. Please RSVP to Megan at Megan.Brewster@BayFirstFinancial.com if you wish to attend.**
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