Landing a new profession through Oakland Adult and Career Education
After several years working in the retail industry, Levack Gardner of Castro Valley, Calif., had had enough.
He no longer wanted to work nights and weekends and miss out on spending time with family and friends.
“I didn’t want to work on Black Fridays. I didn’t want to work the day after Christmas,” he says.
Furthermore, he wanted to work closer to home so he could avoid long commutes.
“I needed a change,” Gardner says.
So, he searched for a new career, but to no avail.
“I was actively seeking work opportunities in other industries, including at AT&T and Amazon, but I felt that I wasn’t getting any traction; not getting any visibility.”
Then in August 2023, Gardner sought advice from a friend, Michelle Hector, who taught a course called BankWork$ at Laney College in Oakland.
“There’s all different subjects and material that are out there for someone who wants a change. They just have to start the process.”
Levack Gardner, BankWork$ graduate
BankWork$ is an eight-week, national training program that gives students the skills needed for entry-level jobs in banking. Graduates go on to careers as tellers, customer service representatives, and relationship and personal banking professionals.
He says Hector told him that Oakland Adult and Career Education was offering BankWork$ and that he could take the classes at Laney College free of charge.
“I decided, ‘You know what? I’m still not working right now. I’m not getting any offers. Why not reeducate yourself, sit down, go to a class format and learn something new about the financial industry, which runs the United States?’” Gardner says.
He attended the BankWork$ classes in person and on other days on Zoom from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., three days a week for eight weeks, he says.
“The classes were very extensive, very detailed, and very structured. We had homework. We had exams. You weren’t going to just skate by,” he says.
Toward the end of the course, Gardner says he and his classmates practiced answering job interview questions through role-play.
“That was challenging for me. You had to talk about yourself in 30 seconds so someone could understand who you were,” he says.
The students then practiced their interviewing skills in class in front of regional bank vice presidents and branch managers.
“That made you nervous, too, because you had to get yourself up to speed because you were looking to get an opportunity to find work in a bank somewhere.”
Finally, the class began filling out job applications from area banks.
“That was also challenging,” says Gardner, “but the instructors held our hands along the way. You weren’t alone.”
After earning his BankWork$ certificate last fall, Gardner landed a job with the Bank of Montreal as an associate banker, a job he started in January 2024. He is now enjoying his new career in the financial industry.
“And I don’t commute anymore,” he says.
Moreover, the bank job allows him more time to spend with his wife, Rohonoda, and available to attend family gatherings during the holidays.
Because of his experience at Laney College, Gardner encourages others desiring a new career to explore the range of job training programs offered through the college and OACE.
“There’s all different subjects and material that are out there for someone who wants a change. They just have to start the process.”
To learn more about Oakland Adult and Career Education’s programs, visit https://www.ousd.org/adult-and-career-education
Written by Gail Allyn Short
| Regions | Classes |
|---|---|
| Bay Area California | Careers in Business-Technology |
