NEBRASKA BANKERS ASSOCIATION 9 Contact Richard Baier at (402) 474-1555 or richard.baier@nebankers.org. his health got the best of him. I suspect there are bankers out there who share this desire to keep working even during retirement. Go get ‘em! I am also aware of a number of young mothers who are interested in part-time professional opportunities. Consider matching these individuals and offering a full-time shared position. While this may take some extra coordination on the bank’s human resource team, it is an efficient way to secure excellent employees who are committed to the bank. Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue is home to more than 8,000 military members. Each year, a sizable number of these individuals transition or retire from the military. To help service members with this transition, the Department of Defense offers the SkillBridge program that allows activeduty military personnel to spend the last 180 days of their military service interning at a civilian job. Additionally, participating companies are asked to coordinate a structured “educational work” experience allowing transitioning service members to evaluate careers. Participants continue to receive military pay and benefits and are not paid by the sponsoring company. Even if your bank is outside the Omaha metro area, you can participate in the SkillBridge program. In addition to educational and employment services for military members, the Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program provides career services for military spouses, including the Military Spouse Employment Partnership job network. Finally, remote work opportunities have evolved as a mainstream workforce strategy, thanks in large part to the pandemic. Nebraska banks have historically been recognized for offering flexible work environments, with many institutions focused on “family first.” Clearly, not every position within a bank can be performed remotely, but COVID-19 allowed the industry to identify positions that could be offered with even greater schedule flexibility. The NBA team has talked recently with several banks that plan to keep a portion of their team members in a hybrid model. Further, I have talked with bank leaders who now rely upon key managers who work entirely remotely. There is no question that remote flexibility creates significant challenges and opportunities, with a sizable number of unknown factors. However, current times may require new strategies and priorities. Again, I encourage you to throw out your traditional view on the workforce and begin to think about how the future will look different. The NBA will be your partner as we move through these challenging times together. GROWING UP ON A FARM NEAR ARLINGTON, KRISTA PRINZ WAS HEAVILY involved in 4-H and FFA. When it came time to choose a college major, the ag banking and finance option of the agribusiness major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) was a natural fit. The major includes both traditional finance classes and courses with an emphasis on agriculture. Students in the program are eligible to receive a scholarship and complete an internship at a Nebraska bank. The program is a partnership of the NBA and UNL and is designed to fill the need for ag bankers in Nebraska. Prinz, currently the president of Citizens State Bank in Wisner, has worked in banking since completing her internship through the program in 2008. She credits her internship and the program’s curriculum with providing a solid banking foundation. Prinz has helped provide opportunities for future ag bankers by mentoring program interns at her bank. Banks are also able to reap a variety of benefits from the program. Learn more about internships and how your bank can build the future banking workforce by visiting nebankers.org/interns. The Impact of an Internship
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