Gesa Credit Union opening branch at Spokane Valley Tech to provide students with financial industry experience

Gesa Credit Union is opening a branch campus in Spokane Valley Tech to provide high school students with financial industry experience.

The educational partnership, announced Thursday, will allow Spokane Valley Tech students to manage their own credit union through Gesa’s high school credit union program.

Gesa will select 10 students to operate the credit union as student tellers, who will also gain marketing and sales experience through implementing promotional events and campaigns.

One credit union teller will be selected for a yearlong internship during which they will supervise the daily operation of Spokane Valley Tech’s campus branch and work as a teller at Gesa’s Spokane Valley branch during the 2020-21 school year.

The Spokane Valley Tech credit union – which launches Jan. 29 – will be open two days a week during lunch periods for students to access accounts and perform basic transactions.

Gesa started its high school credit union program in 2000 at Richland High School. The program has since expanded to 10 additional high schools in the Tri-Cities, College Place and Yakima.