As financial services organizations grow and expand their operations in Northeast Florida, the region has seen significant growth in jobs and capital investment to grow this already well-established industry. More than 55,000 employees work in Jacksonville’s finance industry, making it one of the largest segments of the region’s economy.
The Jacksonville area is also a critical part of the fintech ecosystem, one of the fastest-growing areas within financial services. With two state colleges in the region awarded $3.6 million in grant funding for the Northeast Florida Fintech Initiative, the talent that Jacksonville plans to produce will strengthen the industry. The grant fosters the development of curriculum, employment and business recruitment programs to be powered a business and industry leadership team (BILT) of fintech companies that will help identify the skills, competencies and credentials that employees need to excel in these jobs.
If you are interested in a career in finance, please take a look at its Career Pathway and also explore some of our resources that can help you understand the next step in your career. Jacksonville needs more financial services professionals and a career in this field can lead to an exciting and lucrative career.
Financial Services Companies in the Region
Jonathan Wozny is passionate about his career as a Technology Analyst at Dun & Bradstreet, and grateful that he got his start as a graduate student in the company’s internship program.
“It has been very rewarding working at Dun & Bradstreet, first as an intern and now as an employee,” said Wozny. “I have experienced tremendous opportunities to grow in my career.”
Dun & Bradstreet is a leading global provider of business decisioning data and analytics, which enables companies around the world to improve their business performance. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Dun & Bradstreet has more than 6,000 employees around the world.
In 2023, Wozny was selected for Dun & Bradstreet’s Technology Analyst Program, a 24-month rotational program for recent college graduates. The program provides hands-on technical training, professional development and exposure to various technology career paths within the organization.
“We are a global data driven company that provides services to so many,” Wozny said. “Our company is a leader in business data and analytical insights.”
Wozny was born in Clearwater, Florida. At age 3, his family moved to Arizona, where he attended high school. When applying to colleges, his parent encourage him and his identical twin brother to consider schools in Florida. The brothers enrolled in Florida State University. Jonathan Wozny earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
His interest in programming along with his dedication to always challenge himself led Wozny to pursue a master’s degree in computer science at the University of Florida. After completing his first year, Wozny was accepted into the 10-week summer internship program at Dun & Bradstreet.
“The great thing about the internship program is that you are involved in and contribute to challenging and meaningful projects,” Wozny said. “It’s extremely satisfying to contribute and see the results.”
At the end of internship, Wozny returned to University of Florida to complete his master’s degree. After graduation, he knew he wanted to return to Dun & Bradstreet and Jacksonville.
As a Technology Analyst at Dun & Bradstreet, Wozny works independently as well as collaborates with leadership and team members. His position requires strong organizational, decision making and analytical skills for trouble shooting and problem solving.
For success, Wozny says it is vital to be adaptable, willing to take on challenges and have strong communication skills. Wozny appreciates Dun & Bradstreet’s people-focused culture and is grateful for the guidance he has received from his mentors.
For those interested in a technology career, Wozny recommends taking an introductory programming course while experimenting on your own. “It’s helpful to tackle your own projects – something that is important to you and that you find meaningful – and think outside of the box,” Wozny said.
Like many young professionals, Wozny also discovered that Jacksonville is one of the best places to live and work.
“I am so impressed by the lifestyle the city has to offer,” Wozny said. “It’s a growing city with a lot of young professionals, and it offers a great environment if you like to do things outdoors, such as going to the beach or playing sports.”
“I had an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) but wasn’t sure which career pathway I wanted to pursue,” said Riley, a Business Analyst for Citi, Personal Banking & Wealth Management Technology (PBWMT). “This initiative has helped me grow my career in so many ways.”
Riley, who earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of North Florida in 2022, completed four Citi internships – two in high school and two at the college level – before transitioning into a full-time employee. Riley discovered working in technology at Citi has laid the foundation for an exciting career path.
“The program offers wonderful, valuable information about the working in the world of technology, which offers many different opportunities for career growth,” Riley said.
Citi’s “Women in IT” program was launched by employees from Citi’s Jacksonville division to inspire more high school and college women to consider careers in technology and in response to troubling statistics. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, since 1984, the percentage of female computer science graduates has dropped from 37% to 24%. While women make up more than half of the U.S. workforce, they hold just 25% of the jobs in technical or computing fields.
Michelle Carrico, Senior VP/Program Manager for Citi, PBWMT, has been involved with the “Women in IT” program since its inception. Program leaders were exploring innovative ways to identify, mentor, and hire talent while supporting the bank’s commitment to gender diversity. They wanted to invest in and develop a pipeline of female technology professionals.
“We have been working hard to address this talent gap and to encourage women to consider a wide range of roles in technology,” ” Carrico said. “Even though coding is important and foundational, there are many other roles in technology that don’t require you to work with code every day.”
In Citi’s “Women in IT” program, high school interns are introduced to technology skills, meet technology professionals and explore more about what it means to work in tech. The curriculum is designed to build confidence, inspire students to learn more and reduce the misconception that "IT is not for me."
Both high school and college-level interns are placed on a variety of technology teams, including project management, software development, data science, business analysis, design, architecture and more. Along with mentoring and networking opportunities, they develop a strong understanding of the industry and the skills that are in demand. The experience is designed to show students the career possibilities in technology and link their interest to various roles offered within the field.
“I am grateful for this program, which has helped me grow my career,” Riley said. “I got my first taste of professional networking and working with mentors.”
Now Riley is serving as a mentor to new Citi interns.
“Watching Kendall’s growth and professional development since she started the program has been phenomenal,” Carrico said. “Our interns have the opportunity to work on different teams and they are so well-rounded after they complete the program. When they transition into a full-time position, they bring all of that knowledge into their new role at Citi.”
“The Academy was such a positive experience,” said Thomas, a Digital Experience Program Analyst at VyStar Credit Union and 2012 Fleming Island High School graduate. “It offers an excellent opportunity to gain practical hands-on experience and interact with company executives. It allowed me to develop relationships that have helped shape my career.”
“The Academy provided me with the opportunity to gain work experience that I couldn’t learn in a classroom,” said Bokretsion, a Senior Business Process Analyst at VyStar Credit Union and 2013 Jean Ribault High School graduate who participated in the Academy the first year it was offered at Ribault.
The VyStar Academy of Business is an academic and internship program for high school students. Students participate in an engaging real world experience that brings their learning to life while focusing on the inner workings of financial services, growing technology and essentially what it takes to run their own business. The cornerstone of the academy is an operating VyStar branch run exclusively by students and available to everyone on the high school campus. With the exception of lending services, the 18 high school branches stretched across eight school districts have everything other VyStar branch locations have to offer.
Both Bokretsion and Thomas got their start at VyStar working as tellers at their high school branch locations. After high school, Thomas attended St. Johns River State College and also worked in the VyStar Contact Center. After one year, she transferred to Harding University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She returned to VyStar in 2017 as a Senior High School Branch coordinator before receiving a promotion to her current position, which focuses on VyStar’s digital banking experience.
“The financial services industry is evolving and there are many opportunities if you have the drive to learn,” Thomas said.
Bokretsion attended the University of Florida before transferring to the University of North Florida. She returned to VyStar in 2015, working part-time as a Teller Specialist while she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation, she joined VyStar full-time as a Marketing Specialist and advanced to Mergers & Acquisition Marketing Specialist before receiving a promotion to her current position.
“The opportunities for continued growth at VyStar are exciting,” Bokretsion said.
Although Bokretsion and Thomas did not graduate with financial services degrees, both are experiencing career advancement and success as a result of their initiative and employability skills.
“Our professional skills – communicating and problem solving – are critical and have helped both of us advance in our careers,” Thomas said.
For those considering applying to a VyStar Academy, Bokretsion offers this advice.
“It’s excellent work experience, even if you don’t pursue a career in this field,” Bokretsion said.
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