HELENA — A new banking program provided by Helena College in partnership with Opportunity Bank is great for those looking for a career in the banking industry.
“...if we could create a course that would nicely prepare someone for some of these entry-level positions, that it was a gap that didn’t exist in higher ed. And it would be something that not just Opportunity Bank of Montana but banking banks and credit unions across the state would benefit from,” says Recruitment and Retention Officer at Opportunity Bank of Montana, Tom Burkhart.
This two-month online course is broken up into a 3-part series. Part one covers the fundamentals of banking which include topics like the role of banking, banking products, and industry regulations. The second part covers the principles of lending and finance. And the final section goes over personal finance.
Helena College and Opportunity Bank built this brand-new program from the ground up in order to assist those already in banking as well as those who may be interested in a career in the banking industry. Such career paths available include banker, operations, loan servicing, and lending.
Opportunity Bank offers discounts for the course for those who are already employed by them.
Burkhart says that this course fills a gap that will help give current and future banking employees a leg up in the industry.
“Banking’s often an accidental career, but we would like it to be more intentional,” says Burkhart.
Students can sign up for this course on Helena College’s website. The course is online with no live requirements but opportunities for direct interaction with the instructor and classmates.
