What’s Right With Our Schools: High school students receive real work experience through banking pathway

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Hutchings College and Career Academy is giving students a new learning experience beyond the books and a local credit union is contributing to their learning.

“I just feel like I am accomplishing something. I think I’m moving forward as a person,” says 12th grader Rashaun Neville.

Rashaun Neville attends Rutland High School. He and several other seniors are getting real work experience before they graduate high school.

“It’s a lot easier to learn when you’re immersed in it,”12th grader Cole Connell.

Mid South Community Federal Credit Union partnered with Hutchings College and Career Academy to give students a chance to experience working in banking.

Roy Bibb, President/CEO of Mid South Community Federal Credit Union says, “Basically they’re exposed to what happens on the teller line. They go through our full training.”

Connell explained, “I’m responsible for any kind of teller transactions that students, staff or public can come in and do, withdrawals, deposits, paying a loan payment, anything you would walk into a bank to do short of starting an account.”

The students can connect what they learn in the classroom to seeing the credit union in operation.

Neville sees how the classroom is connected to a real life work experienced. He shared, “you have to know math. You need to know how to add and give change back. You need to know how to do all of that when you’re doing transactions.”

Some students say putting the textbooks away and learning by doing, sticks with them.

“Being forced to interact and do these transactions is a lot easier to comprehend,” Connell explains.

Dr. Cassandra Washington, Executive Director of CTAE says, “Financial literacy is a huge life skill for any student no matter what career path they’re taking. So, if we give them the life skills, they will truly be a part of that emerging workforce.”

The credit union is open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The banking pathway is a paid internship for students.

Dr. Washington says the plan for Mid South Community Federal Credit Union and Hutchings College and Career Academy to partner has been in the works for about three years.