From left to right, Razell Ward, Assistant Director of Lewiston Adult Education, Fatma Saad, Today’s Teller Program Instructor; and Camden National Bank’s Neusa Lopes, Relationship Banker and recent graduate, Senior Vice President Kate Bellmore, and Executive Vice President Andrew R. Forbes, presenting Lewiston Adult Education with a donation to the Today’s Teller training program.
Lewiston Adult Education recently celebrated Camden National Bank’s direct donation of $5,000 to Today’s Teller, its unique teller training program designed to promote workforce development, at Camden National Bank’s Auburn branch.
Today’s Teller class supports English Language Learners interested in banking as a career. Lessons include cash handling of U.S. currency, digital literacy, processing transactions, financial vocabulary, and the basics of customer service. After completing the class and passing the Center for Financial Training & Education Alliance (CFTEA) Frontline Fundamentals national test, students received their CFTEA certification in the spring of 2024.
“The Today’s Teller class prepared and connected me with the right people I needed for the next steps in my career development,” said Neusa Lopes, a graduate of the program, who now works as a relationship banker in Auburn at Camden National Bank.
Lopes, who worked in banking in Angola for 15 years before moving to the United States, thanked her instructors and the bank professionals she worked with during her training, saying they are making a difference in students’ lives. “It’s all about people, it’s all about love and purpose,” Lopes continued.
Camden National Bank was one of five financial institutions that participated in the most recent class. The other program partners were Androscoggin Bank, Bangor Savings Bank, Key Bank, and Northeast Bank. “Representatives from each bank taught lessons, giving real world examples and perspectives,” said Fatma Saad, Today’s Teller Program Instructor.
“The critical work that the Lewiston Adult Education is doing to empower and develop individuals has a major impact on our communities, our local businesses, and most importantly, the graduates who are putting in the hard work to grow personally and professionally,” said Andrew Forbes, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer of Camden National Bank.
Razell Ward, Assistant Director of Lewiston Adult Education, noted that the program works with local businesses to create skilled workforce opportunities for students from various backgrounds who need support in language and workforce expectations in the US. Lewiston Adult Education welcomes businesses to connect with programming to support their skilled hiring needs.