High school and college students from around Miami-Dade County got hands-on experience on banking and finance at the Ninth Annual Future Bankers Camp with the support of nearly two dozen banks and local institutions.

The innovative four-week camp provides hands-on experience for students interested in financial services industry careers. The camp gives students opportunities to enhance math, communication and financial literacy skills, while completing a bank internship and receiving industry certification.

The camp is hosted by The Center for Financial Training and Miami Dade College with the help of partners such as the Chapman Partnership. It was sponsored by CareerSource of South Florida, CNC-Nurturing Hispanic Communities and local institutions.  A total of 20 banks and credit unions participated, along with the Florida International Bankers Association, the South Florida Banking Institute (SFBI); and the Morrison Brown Argiz & Farra accounting firm.

The participating students are enrolled in Miami Dade College and 12 Miami-Dade Public Schools: Academy of Finance programs at Barbara Goleman Senior High School, Coral Gables Senior High School, Coral Reef Senior High School, Hialeah Gardens Senior High School, Miami Edison Senior High School, Miami Jackson Senior High School, Miami Sunset Senior High School, North Miami Senior High School, North Miami Beach Senior High School, Master Academy East Charter High School, Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) and William H. Turner Technical Arts High School.

The program offers two tracks: teller training track and the customer service track to college students. Upon successful completion of the camp, students are eligible to receive the American Bankers Association Bank Teller Certificate and Customer Service Representative Certificate.

This national industry standard certificate meets the educational requirement for the certification exam offered by the Institute of Certified Bankers. Students who graduate can also work towards an A.S. degree in Financial Services.

The Miami-Dade Public Schools Academy of Finance program is a member of the National Academy Foundation, a national network of career academies to support the development of America’s youth toward personal and professional success in high school, higher education and throughout their careers. Sixteen Miami-Dade high schools have Academy of Finance career academies.

The participating financial institutions in 2016 were: Banco Santander; Banesco USA; BankUnited; BBVA Compass Bank; Biscayne Bank; City National Bank; Coconut Grove Bank; Continental National Bank; First National Bank of South Miami; International Finance Bank; JetStream Federal Credit Union; Mercantil Commercebank; Ocean Bank; Pacific National Bank; Popular Community Bank; Professional Bank; Regions; Sunstate Bank; TD Bank; Wells Fargo Bank.

“Training high school and college students for the workplace of the future is a rewarding task, and we are proud or our role in helping in the career development of what often are at-risk youths,” said A. Alfonso Macedo, President and CEO of Ocean Bank, which provided training for 71 students..  “It’s one of the key elements in our long-standing support of education in South Florida. e

About The Center for Financial Training at MDC

The Center for Financial Training provides financial services education, training and technology to financial services professionals throughout the United States and around the world.  CFT is a national organization and the largest industry-sponsored adult education program in the world.  CFT training and education programs provide job specific skills and knowledge to the financial services industry.  CFT is the educational arm of the American Bankers Association and courses are part of a national continuing education curriculum.  Completion of prescribed programs can lead to industry-recognized ABA diplomas and certificates, assist in professional licensing requirements and meet college credit and degree requirements. For more information, visit www.cftse.org.