Citizens recently announced its commitment to provide $10 million to nonprofits over the next two years to support workforce development programs to strengthen talent pipelines and drive economic growth in New Jersey and other states where the bank has branches.
Funding will support nonprofits working to enhance and expand access to educational and career opportunities and address the rapidly changing demands of the modern economy, the bank said in a Sept. 18 announcement about the initiative.
“Workforce development is a major focus for the bank and one that is top of mind for our clients and critical to the success of the communities we serve,” said Bruce Van Saun, chairman & CEO of Citizens.
“This investment is not just about supporting programs, it’s about supporting people – people who are ready to learn, to grow, and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities.”
Building the workforce of the future is a key focus of the bank’s Sustainability & Impact strategy. As a superregional bank, Citizens is uniquely positioned to convene industry and community leaders to understand and address local workforce challenges and ensure communities are prepared for the best possible tomorrow, the bank said.
Driven by its community-informed approach, Citizens is committed to building innovative and impactful partnerships with national organizations like LISC, Year Up, Junior Achievement, Education Design Lab, Girls Who Code, and Council for Economic Education as well as hundreds of local community organizations across its footprint to provide accessible upskilling and reskilling services that create pathways to in-demand careers.
Recent partnerships include $1.6 million in funding to expand Citizens’ Community College Accelerator program with Education Design Lab to 10 community colleges in Boston, New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Rhode Island and a $600,000 grant to LISC New York and Central Brooklyn EDC to launch the Brooklyn Youth Offshore Wind Training Program to prepare local youth for future jobs in the emerging offshore wind industry.
The bank recently announced the results of a teen workforce development survey, published in partnership with Junior Achievement, that demonstrates the need for expanded upskilling programs. According to the JA Teen Workforce Survey conducted by Wakefield Research, teens ages 13-18 are optimistic about their futures and how the advancement in technology will impact them but are looking for support to acquire the needed skills.
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $219.9 billion in assets as of June 30. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens has approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia, including New Jersey.
