Students at Allen High School rush past the Credit Union of Texas (CUTX) bank every day on their way to class. Still, not many students pay attention or acknowledge what goes on beyond the back doors and in the lives of their fellow peers who work there.
The day in the life of a CUTX student intern is different from the average student who walks the halls.
“We do teller transactions, so anything a bank does, withdraw deposits,” CUTX intern and senior Douglas Hill said. “We do that all within the high school, and we also go out to high school events, community events, just to promote CUTX and the benefits we have.”
This interactive experience has allowed students to gain real-world preparation for a career in banking or finance.
“Not many students can say, ‘I intern at a credit union’ or a financial institution while in high school, so that’s one thing,” CUTX intern and junior Jamaya Jones said. “But also, not many people get this experience.I find this program to be a great program to just learn more [about] how to get better financial responsibility [and become]a professional.”
This internship that Allen offers can help students with their careers later in life.
“[The CUTX internship] looks really good on resumes and job experiences.After graduating, there’s summer interns and jobs within the credit union that the bank can set you up with,” Hill said.
The program and training can extend beyond the classroom, whether it is after-school or during the summer for more experience.
“We also meet outside of school hours,” sophomore William Yang said. “For example, we meet before school and after school for team meetings, where we discuss opening accounts and streamlining [the process].”
These meetings can help students learn what they need for challenges working at the bank.
With this program you have the opportunity to learn a lot of new things that can be used for more in life and in the banking world.
“I’ve learned a lot about how banks function, how they work,” Yang said. “I’m doing transactions for people [and] opening accounts. It’s a huge insight into the world of banking and finance.”
Students can learn the ins and outs of banking through this program and become more confident with their financial literacy skills.
“Some challenges I face as an intern would definitely [include] trying to get [students] to open accounts and have our presence be felt in the high school,” Jones said. “Because a lot of people still don’t know about CUTX and that there’s a whole bank.”
The bank offers deals for students who sign up for an account with their “Pay for Grades” advertisement and also their “Match 50.”
“You give us $50, we match you $50,” Jones said. “You do have to bring an additional five dollars, because that’s your key to membership and [it]opens your account as well.”
This deal is a way to encourage students to open an account and learn more about financial details at CUTX.
“I will say that it is an amazing opportunity. You gain a lot of insight, you learn a lot about public speaking skills,” Yang said, “Not only did you learn a lot about finance and financial literacy, you also gain a lot of life skills, like teamwork and collaboration.”
