To help us recruit qualified employees while opening the doors to diversity in the workplace, we actively partner with community organizations to offer workplace training opportunities within ACU.

Our community partners include Argyle High School, Employment Projects of Winnipeg (Immigrant Integration Program), Urban Circle, Ka Ni Kanichihk, the Manitoba Employment Equity Practitioners’ Association and the Manitoba Aboriginal Youth Career Awareness Committee.

Our Immigrant Integration Program has been a great success, with 85% of candidates offered permanent employment with ACU.

Argyle Students Get Work Experience and Training at ACU

When Maria Poworoznik asked ACU to interview six of her students, she hoped at least one would be accepted for on-the-job training.

Instead, the Argyle Alternative High School career education coordinator and the six young women who applied were elated when, ACU’s Manager of Employment and Diversity, Lisa Anderson told them that all six young women interviewed would be given the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience with us.

The students, including two single moms, had already experienced a lot in life. They were incredibly mature for their age and keen to have meaningful work. Seeing their potential, Lisa found positions for each of them in branches closest to their homes to make it easy for them to come to work. She matched them up with caring managers who took the time to make the nervous students feel welcome.

After 18 weeks of training (the young women never missed a day), three of them wanted to stay on. We found permanent part-time jobs at ACU for Vanessa Kozak, 19, Shelley Gatehouse and Kelsey Anderson, 17. And when Vanessa was selected to go to The Global Young Leaders Conference, ACU helped pay her way.

Maria speaks for herself and her students when she says,“The credit union has become their home. They feel so comfortable going there. Everyone was so kind and patient. We were so impressed with how open they were. This has been a life changing experience for them.”