From time to time there are occasions where credit unions pop upin my personal life. One of those occasions was just the otherday.

I was talking to a friend who recently finished getting herMasters degree in business education. She was telling me howdiscouraged she is because she's been looking for a job for sixmonths to teach at the high school level and has yet to come upwith anything promising. One of the first things I thought of aftershe said this was that she'd be perfect to work on a financialliteracy team at a credit union. She has the training and educationto teach members and potential members that are at a crucial ageand she is a member of Gen Y.

When I suggested that she look into seeing if any credit unionsare hiring for this type of position, she said she wasn't awarethat credit unions did that type or work nor had her collegementioned it as an option for a job. My friend lives and went tocollege in Long Island, N.Y. where I know there are a substantialamount of credit unions, some of them large-sized creditunions.

In this economy, credit unions have taken some big steps forwardin educating consumers and spreading awareness, but this is anexample of how credit unions are still losing out on greatopportunities due to the huge lack of awareness that is still outthere.

Last year, I went to a business journalism seminar at CUNYSchool of Journalism in New York City. One of the discussions was,of course, the current economy. One journalist brought up the topicof financial literacy and how it doesn't seem that any banks outthere contribute to education. I told him how this is a big part ofthe credit union mission and how I see credit unions thatcontribute to financial literacy everyday. I was the only one inthe room that knew credit unions push financial literacy and theonly one in the room that really knew anything about credit unionsat all.

I know credit unions play a huge role in educating members andconsumers about good financial practices. Does the staff reporterat your local paper? Do the administrators at your local highschool or college? Do your potential members?

If there is one thing credit unions should be shouting from therooftop right now it is that you not only provide services, but youeducate. Don't just tell each other. Make sure the people that needit know and make sure the potential employees that you need to notonly educate and bring in new younger members, but to bring energyand innovation to your aging staff know it too.