Howard Community College

CON-ED CONNECTIONS 14 Howard Community College to communicate with American clients, as well as international clients." In the banking sector, it is important for employers to hire bilingual and multilingual employees who can communicate and relate to their diverse customer base. Census data shows that 23 percent of Howard County residents speak a language other than English. Banking employees should also possess the financial knowledge and soft skills necessary for high-level customer service. A recent report by PwC indicated one of the top three priorities for banks in the coming years is "enhancing customer service" and developing models centered around customers, rather than products. Taking these trends into consideration, five banks that serve this region—M&T Bank, PNC, Sandy Spring Bank, BB&T, and Revere Bank—agreed that Howard Community College (HCC) was the ideal partner to help train their future workforce. A collaboration emerged through the college's English Language Center, which enrolls over 2,000 students from 80 different countries. An advisory board, made up of representatives from the banks and HCC helped to develop the curriculum that teaches both career and banking skills. The banks also actively participate in the course, sending representatives as guest speakers, engaging in mock interviews with students, and providing networking opportunities. According to Daniel Schrider, president and CEO of Sandy Spring Bank, "The program addresses several critical needs, both in our community and industry. Not only does this program help empower and open doors for bilingual individuals, it also promotes careers in banking and financial services." Schrider, who got his higher education start at HCC, added, "This program is helping to build the next generation of banking leaders—who also happen to reflect the diverse communities that we serve. I look forward to seeing how this investment in education will contribute to the success of these inspiring individuals, elevate the banking industry, and ultimately strengthen our local economy." After he completed the program, Fazeli earned a position as a teller at Sandy Spring Bank. He is already looking ahead to his future. "I am happy to start as a teller, where I'll work hard and hopefully be a bank manager someday." New Banking Program Trains Bilingual Students for Finance Careers In his native country of Iran, Ali Fazeli served as the general manager of a major shipping and freight forwarding company, but he wanted a better future for his family. A visit to his sister's home in Maryland convinced him that America would offer more opportunities—even if it meant that he and his wife, Soraya, an architect, would have to leave their professional careers. The Fazeli family moved to Ellicott City and found jobs: she at Target, and he as a pharmacy technician. With his daughter in preschool, Fazeli felt it was also time to further his education. He took a major step to reigniting his former career by enrolling last fall in the college's inaugural Banking and Finance Training for Bilingual Speakers program. "I already held an MBA, so I have experience in accounting and financial management," said Fazeli, who speaks Arabic, Farsi, and English. "This class is an opportunity for me to start again in fields I know and learn American banking culture. It's important that we learn how t Ali Fazeli with Kathy Hall of Sandy Spring Bank. p Students Nona Artazova (left) and Ivonne Nirola (right) with Violet Houston of First National Bank between mock interview sessions.

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