November 20, 2023

As part of our school-to-work transition programs, Transition Pathways leverages the expertise of employee resource groups (ERGs) to help our students feel prepared for employment. Employee resource groups are voluntary employee-led diversity and inclusion initiatives supported by the company they work for. One of the most impactful partnerships has been with PNC Banks’ African American Employee Business Resource Group (AAEBRG).  

In February 2022, we partnered with PNC to offer students financial literacy workshops to give them the tools needed for financial independence. The curriculum also includes topics around career development and self-advocacy. When the program first started, there was one volunteer. Now in its second year, there are 10 active volunteers that work with our students. 60 students to date have taken part in these financial literacy workshops! 

Recently, we met with the volunteer team to discuss how we could take financial learning outside the classroom. Together, Transition Pathways and the PNC team designed a plan to give the students real-world practice with banking. 

Students traveled to a local PNC branch where they were welcomed by PNC executives and staff. Students engaged with financial advisors to discuss the steps for opening a bank account and learned about credit scores. They also practiced writing a check, filling out a deposit slip, extracting money from their bank account, and interacting with a teller. The day concluded with lunch and a networking session with the PNC staff.  

We look forward to connecting our students to other businesses and employee resource groups that help our students prepare for work. Thanks to PNC, our students know what to do with the first of many paychecks! 

Transition Pathways provides experiential learning to students with autism and/or intellectual disabilities with a goal of sustainable, competitive employment in the community.

To learn more about our work and support us, click HERE.       

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