Citizens Expands Workforce Development Commitment to $20 Million
New Three-Year Investment Builds on Success of $10 Million 2024–2025 Commitment and Aims to Strengthen Economic Growth and Drive Workforce Adaptability
PROVIDENCE, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Citizens announced today a new $20 million commitment over the next three years (2026 to 2028) to support workforce development programs and long-term economic growth. The investment builds on the successful delivery of the bank’s $10 million commitment across 2024 and 2025, which exceeded funding expectations in expanding access to upskilling, reskilling, and career pathways.
Funding will continue to support nonprofits working to enhance educational and career opportunities, address the rapidly changing demands of the modern economy, and strengthen economic mobility across the bank’s footprint.
“Workforce development is central to how Citizens supports its customers, colleagues, and communities,” said Bruce Van Saun, Chairman & CEO of Citizens. “With this new $20 million investment, we will build on the strong progress we’ve made in expanding access to training and career pathways and helping people gain the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing environment.”
Insights from the 2025 Junior Achievement Teen Workforce Survey highlight why these investments matter. The survey found that 94% of teens say they are optimistic about their future careers, reflecting a strong sense of hope and ambition. However, 57% believe AI has negatively impacted their career outlook, raising concerns about job replacement and the need for new skills. Nearly nine in ten report feeling pressure to make the right career choices, and most believe adaptability, continuous learning, and real-world experience will be essential for success.
“Teens know the future of work will require adaptability and continuous learning,” said Susan LaMonica, Chief Human Resources Officer, Citizens. “Citizens is helping prepare them through investments in workforce development and partnerships with organizations like Junior Achievement, while also ensuring our investments, our leaders and our culture are equipping and preparing our colleagues with the skills and tools to thrive in a transforming workplace.”
Building the workforce of the future is a central focus of the bank’s commitment to making a positive impact. As part of this new $20 million commitment, Citizens partners with national organizations such as Year Up United and Education Design Lab (EDL), as well as hundreds of local nonprofits to expand access to upskilling programs, connect individuals to in-demand career pathways, and strengthen economic opportunity in communities across the country.
In 2024 and 2025, this included $1.6 million in funding to expand Citizens’ Community College Accelerator program with EDL to 10 schools across Boston, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Rhode Island, and a $600,000 grant to LISC New York and Central Brooklyn EDC to launch the Brooklyn Youth Offshore Wind Training Program.
To learn more Citizens’ Sustainability and Impact efforts, click here.
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $218.3 billion in assets as of June 30, 2025. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,000 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X, LinkedIn or Facebook.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250916619064/en/
Laura Ruiz, (857) 384-8854
KEYWORDS: United States North America Rhode Island
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Banking Professional Services Finance
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