After the successful adoption of an investor education programby credit unions in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Wisconsin, theeffort is making its way to other states.

The Investor Education in Your Workplace program encouragesemployees to participate more fully in workplace saving andinvesting programs. The 10-week online curriculum includes suchcourses as basics of personal finance, understanding investmentrisks and working with financial advisers.

The program is offered by the Investor Protection Institute withsupport provided by the Investor Protection Trust. It is carriedout jointly with state securities agencies and the National Credit Union Foundation.

The IEiYW was piloted with credit union employees and educatorsin Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Nearly 8,500 employees in hundreds ofworkplaces in the three states have completed the program,according to officials.

The program is now expanding to the District of Columbia,Alaska, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma, Vermont andWashington.

So far, credit union employees have experienced a 38% and 47%improvement in investor education knowledge in Pennsylvania andWisconsin, respectively, the program said. Fifty percent said theyincreased their short- and long-term saving and investingactivities.

Up to 50% improved their attitudes towards increasing their financial well-being, setting investment goals, implementinga budget, and starting or increasing contributions to 401(k),individual retirement accounts or equivalent plans.

Lois Kitsch, NCUF national program manager, said credit unionsare ideal for testing what works when it comes to investoreducation designed to spur more saving and investing.

“The strong results we already have seen with this program makeus very eager to be part of the new phase of the campaign in whichit is going national,” Kitsch said.