We can all agree that what is vital and important to the credit union industry is education. This applies not only to credit union members, of course, but also especially to credit union staff.
At the risk of stating the obvious, no credit union can function appropriately and successfully without a well-informed workforce. Being aware of the general workings of the financial services industry as a whole and having a solid understanding of the specific internal operations of an individual credit union are essential to the success of the organization.
Luckily, we are surrounded by ample opportunities for education, not only here in Connecticut, but also elsewhere in the country—as well as online. These resources cover a spectrum of subject areas and are aimed at member-contact staff, back-office staff, supervisors, managers, CEOs, and volunteers. They include financials, marketing, business development, regulatory compliance, human resources, lending, collections, management, security, technology, and other operational areas.
Here is an overview of resources—by no means definitive—that credit unions can refer to for education opportunities.
The League offers a wide variety of sessions that serve to educate on specific topics or provide opportunities for idea exchange and resource sharing.
Our printed Event Calendar and our website online calendar list on-site classes, councils, and roundtables, QuickBite Teleconferences, and 2-hour TeleCourses that cover an exciting range of topics.
Go to Calendar of Events to view available sessions and other opportunities on a month-by-month basis.
The League also has available Customized Training programs, assistance in human resources, education, and salary administration. These programs are billed at an hourly rate, which is dependent on type and length of session. For more information, click Customized Training here or in the members-only (password-protected) red section.
In addition, the Connecticut Credit Union Solutions Foundation offers financial assistance to credit union employees and volunteers. It applies to training/education available outside the League through John T. Gallagher Scholarships. Click Application to download.
The Credit Union National Association has an extensive repertoire of education opportunities available to credit unions. These include “schools,” conferences in travel locations around the country, plus online opportunities that feature webinars and eSchools. For a listing of CUNA webinars, go to cuna.org, then click on Training and type webinars in the search box.
CUNA also offers a variety of programs, seminars, conferences, institutes, summits, and schools throughout the year. In some cases, specialized schools, like the Certified Credit Union Executive program, offer designations or certificates of achievement. For full information on what CUNA has to offer, go to http://training.cuna.org/ and explore.
Not to be overlooked is CPDOnline, a web-based training service that includes everything needed to manage your credit union training program from start to finish. Available in a state-of-the-art online environment, CPDOnline combines the ease of on-demand, self-study training with expertly designed credit union courses. A CPDOnline Standard Membership provides full access to online courses that include CU Advance, STAR, MERIT, VAP, VLP, and RegTraC.
In addition, CUNA proudly offers a discount to small credit unions for CPDOnline. This discount is available to affiliated credit unions under $20 million in assets and is applied toward a CPDOnline membership. Credit unions above $20 million in assets can also receive discounted pricing based on asset size, FTE count, and chosen membership options.
The CUNA-affiliated National Credit Union Foundation sponsors a Credit Union Development Education program (CUDE) that focuses on the power of the cooperative credit union movement through community development and assistance to low-income credit unions. The CUDE program additionally provides participants with an excellent opportunity for career development and personal enrichment.
Education opportunities for credit union staff are virtually unlimited when taking the initiative to consult peers about their experiences or to explore online within as well as outside the credit union industry.
The League is available for assistance in this area. Please do not hesitate to ask us for direction.
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Customized Training Programs
The League offers customized training to member credit unions at a cost of $109.00 per hour of actual training time. Most training sessions are designed as two-hour programs, but can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your credit union. Programs are available before, during or after regular work hours, and may be held at your credit union, the League or at another location requested by you.
If there are topics not identified that your credit union is interested in, please contact Barb Bass by e-mail at bbass@culct.coop and I will work with you to create a program to meet your specific needs. The League does not charge the credit union for time spent developing new programs. When the training program is complete, it will be added to the list of customized programs offered to all member credit unions.
Click to connect to the The League's Customized Training Page.
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