VACAVILLE, Calif. — Travis Credit Union has launched a 16-week paid return-to-work program aimed at helping experienced professionals who have taken career breaks re-enter the workforce and is now sharing additional details on the program as well as advice for other CUs that may want to consider a similar program of their own.
As the CU Daily reported here, the $5.6-billion Travis Credit Union said the “Returnship” program is initially targeting residents of four local counties who are ready to resume their careers after time away from the workforce.
Participants will be hired as paid Returnship employees and will receive hands-on work experience, mentorship and professional development while contributing to the credit union’s operations.
Travis Credit Union said participants in the program will:
- Gain practical work experience that strengthens their resumes.
- Receive mentorship and professional development.
- Build relationships across multiple departments.
- Explore potential long-term career opportunities with the credit union.
Below, Catherine Johnson, chief people officer at TCU, shares additional information on the program and how it came to be with readers of the CU Daily.
The CU Daily: Did this program come to be? Slow, evolving idea, or a bigger issue that emerged?
Johnson: The Returnship program grew from both a personal observation and a broader workforce opportunity. Travis Credit Union recognized that many experienced professionals step away from the workforce for a variety of reasons, including caregiving, military service, family responsibilities, education, health-related circumstances, or other life events. When they are ready to return, traditional recruiting pathways may not always recognize or reach them.
That insight led to the development of a more intentional pathway for returning professionals. The program is designed to help individuals rebuild confidence, refresh skills, gain current workplace experience, and reconnect with meaningful career opportunities while also helping Travis Credit Union engage an often-underutilized talent pool.
The CU Daily: Finally, just to clarify, is it now underway? What is the time frame?
Johnson: Yes. The program is underway. We have begun thoughtfully, learning from the initial experience, and continuing to evaluate how the program can support both returning professionals and Travis Credit Union’s workforce needs.
The CU Daily: Is this something individuals with Travis have had issues or experience with? What are some of the biggest issues for someone attempting to reenter the workforce?
Johnson: Travis Credit Union views this less as an issue specific to the organization and more as a broader workforce opportunity within the communities it serves. Many people who have stepped away from the workforce are ready to return but may face barriers when trying to reenter through traditional hiring channels.
Some of the most common challenges include rebuilding confidence, refreshing skills, explaining a career break, and overcoming assumptions related to time away from work. At the same time, returning professionals often bring valuable prior experience, transferable skills, maturity, resilience, and strong motivation. The Returnship program is designed to reduce those barriers while recognizing the talent and potential these individuals already bring.
The CU Daily: What will be involved during the 16-week program? As this is a paid program, how many individuals will be involved?
Johnson: The Returnship program is a paid, 16-week experience designed to provide participants with meaningful, hands-on work and structured support as they reenter the workforce.
Participants receive structured onboarding, project-based work, mentorship, a peer buddy, regular check-ins, and a midpoint evaluation. These elements are intended to help participants refresh skills, rebuild confidence, gain current workplace experience, and explore potential long-term career opportunities.
Travis Credit Union currently has five open positions that are Returnship-eligible. The organization is beginning thoughtfully with a high-support model, allowing the team to learn from the program as it develops and continue strengthening the experience over time.
The CU Daily: Is there any prospect of these individuals being hired by Travis?
Johnson: Yes. The program is intended to create a potential pathway to regular employment when there is a mutual fit, successful performance, and an available business need. While ongoing employment is not guaranteed, participants gain meaningful work experience, support, and exposure to career opportunities at Travis Credit Union.
If the experience is successful and the right opportunity is available, Travis Credit Union would welcome the opportunity to consider participants for regular employment.
The CU Daily: How has Travis spread the word about the program, and what type of workers/former workers has the credit union seen as applicants?
Johnson: The Returnship program has been promoted through Travis Credit Union’s career channels and included in the program press release. Because this is a new initiative, we are continuing to build awareness and plan to expand internal communications so team members understand the program and can help share it with potential candidates in their networks.
The opportunity is intended for experienced professionals with significant prior work experience who have been out of the workforce for two or more years. This could include individuals returning after caregiving, military service, family responsibilities, education, health-related circumstances, or other life events.
Recently, we welcomed two outstanding professionals whose experiences reflect the spirit of our Returnship program, one who had stepped away from the workforce to focus on family and another who took time to reset and reflect after a layoff before beginning their job search. Their experiences are a reminder that talented people take different paths, and our Returnship program is designed to help them confidently reconnect with meaningful careers.
We are still early in the program, and we currently have several Returnship-eligible roles posted, including Senior Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager, Sr. Development & Fundraising Specialist, Credit Policy Analyst, Sr. Risk Analyst, and Sr. Knowledge Management Specialist.
The goal is to thoughtfully connect returning professionals with meaningful opportunities where they can contribute, rebuild confidence, and explore long-term career potential at Travis Credit Union.
The CU Daily: Who will be acting as the mentors? And have they had any training?
Johnson: Each participant will have a dedicated mentor for role guidance and coaching, as well as a peer buddy for day-to-day support and connection. The mentor will help the participant navigate their work, receive feedback, and build confidence throughout the 16-week program. The peer buddy will provide practical support as the participant becomes familiar with the organization.
The program also includes manager and mentor training objectives, along with supporting materials and communications to help ensure those involved understand the goals of the Returnship program and how to support participants effectively. The intent is to provide more than a work assignment; it is to create a structured, supportive experience that helps participants contribute meaningfully while transitioning back into the workforce.
The CU Daily: What have you learned along the way that you might share with other credit unions interested in providing similar assistance?
Johnson: One of the most important lessons is that a Returnship program needs to be intentional and structured. It is not only about creating an opportunity; it is about creating the right support system around that opportunity.
For other credit unions considering a similar program, Travis Credit Union would encourage focusing on skills, experience, and potential rather than employment gaps. Returning professionals often bring valuable prior experience, transferable skills, maturity, and strong motivation, but they may need a more structured pathway back into the workforce.
That means setting clear expectations, providing meaningful work assignments, offering regular feedback, and pairing participants with both mentors and peer buddies. It also means preparing managers and mentors, so they understand how to support participants through a thoughtful ramp-up process.
Travis Credit Union designed the program with those principles in mind. The goal is to treat the experience as a bridge back into professional employment, one that supports participants while also helping hiring managers make thoughtful, informed employment decisions.
