BOOSTING FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE IN TEENAGERS

...the financial and career education program that supports teenagers become financially independent and kick-start their professional paths.

After a successful first edition this year Start Major welcomes 1,500 students from tens of high schools in Bucharest, Cluj and Iasi counties. The students joining UniCredit Bank Romania’s financial and career education program will learn how to manage their budget responsibly and will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to easily find a job or make their business ideas come true.

Students in technical and vocational high schools in Romania have a strong need to become financially independent once they turn 18, as most of them come from poor financial backgrounds. UniCredit Bank therefore designed Start Major to support them and help them kick-start their professional paths.

The positive feedback from students who joined the first edition of Start Major shows us they had a real, positive and constructive evolution. “The program is one of the many ways in which we support our communities through our Social Impact Banking platform. We are grateful to the 17 colleagues in the bank who volunteered as trainers and mentors, supporting this initiative” stated Alina Drăgan, Strategic Consultant, Financial Education, UniCredit Bank and coordinator of the program.

Start Major was launched in 2019, with a first edition in 10 technological high schools in Bucharest. It was rolled out with the support of 15 employees from UniCredit Bank that volunteered as trainers and mentors.

“As mentor of the first edition I saw how pupils evolved and came to easily generate ideas and share them with confidence. I was excited before every meeting with them and the entire process was a learning experience for me as well” said Silvia Pop, Trainer Sales Force.

Start Major is one of the two Inclusion and Financial Education Programs, along with the Academy for Creative Minds, developed by UniCredit Bank in Romania within the Social Impact Banking platform (SIB), one of the many initiatives carried out by our Group to show how we are committed to being part of the solution.