Before her career in financial services, Ashley Yates was working in retail in the Los Angeles area, and feeling stuck. 

“I wasn’t really looking for a future. But I knew I needed a future.”  

So when Ashley’s mother told her about a free career training opportunity she’d seen with our training partner in the Los Angeles area, JVS SoCal, Ashley was interested. She connected with the JVS SoCal team and began the free, eight-week comprehensive training in October 2019.  

Over the next two months, Ashley and her peers learned the industry-specific skills and the customer service, communications, confidence, and workplace skills needed to succeed as customer-facing banking staff. At the end of the program, Ashley and the rest of the cohort celebrated in a graduation ceremony and personalized job fair, where participants interviewed for open positions with industry partners in the region. 

Participating in BankWork$ “was the greatest experience ever and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve learned to not just have respect for myself, but respect for my colleagues and respect for what I do. My life has definitely changed a lot. BankWork$ really changed the personal and professional direction of my life.”  

Today, Ashley continues to thrive in that new direction and in a career in financial services in her role as a Teller at BankWork$ employer partner Wells Fargo in Los Angeles, California. 

For Ashley, the most rewarding part of her career in banking with Wells Fargo is “meeting new customers every single day and helping them succeed financially. Knowing I am there and helping them out makes me feel good.” She also values having direct relationships with her clients and knowing them on a first-hand basis. 

This summer, Ashley was invited by JVS SoCal Associate Director Julian Hampton to speak at a virtual graduation as an alumna guest.  

Ashley’s advice to the new graduates was to stay positive and believe in the value of the BankWork$ program, knowing it was both the “shortest and longest eight weeks of your life.” 

Lessons learned in BankWork$, Ashley concluded, “will change you and will open doors for you. Keep going. Don’t stop. There are always new opportunities out there in the industry. Always have an open mind.” 

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