CUDE training and my credit union adventure
I’m an avid motorcyclist, and like anything involving high level skill, part of the fun is constant improvement. Whether I’m riding the same old seven miles to the office, romping through the curvy roads in southern Indiana and Kentucky, or seeking out the most primitive dirt roads I can find, there’s something to learn from every ride.
I also seek out advanced training wherever I can. For example, I took an off-road adventure riding class last year, and it was one of the hardest and best things I’ve ever done. I was sore for a week afterwards just from the sheer physical exertion. I learned how to safely do things on my motorcycle I didn’t even think possible.
And oh yeah, it was just about the most fun I’ve ever had in armored pants. The same goes for other advanced riding classes I’ve taken.
The more learning, the more fun
So let’s turn to my other passion, credit unions. A while back, I started to notice a strange little acronym, CUDE, behind the names of a lot of people in the credit union world. And these happened to be some of the most enthusiastic, interesting, fun and cool credit union people I’ve ever met, people like Denise Wymore and Dan Marquez.
And that’s saying something, because credit union people are a pretty consistently amazing bunch in the first place. Credit union people are much of the reason I’ve spent my entire career working with credit unions.
I asked around and I Googled, and learned that CUDE, stands for “Credit Union Development Educator”, a training program for credit union movement leaders developed by the National Credit Union Foundation. If you’re passionate about credit unions, you owe it to yourself to go read up on CUDE training and everything the NCUF is doing.
Not an outsider, for once
Much to my joy, I also found that CUDE training is open to anyone passionate about the credit union movement. Credit unions are a primary passion and pretty much my entire career, yet opportunities to participate in training and events are limited, and often put a barrier between us “vendors” and the “real credit union people”.
Obviously, you need this separation to some degree, and we’ve been happy to help support and present at lots of credit union conferences and events. But it was always a little frustrating to be on the outside just because I work for lots of credit unions instead of one.
A little nervous, a lot excited
Long story short, I found a spot, signed up, and my CUDE training starts next week! The virtual version runs four weeks, and I’ll report back when I have a chance.
I’m not sure what to expect, but I’ve been assured it will be an incredible experience. I can’t wait to meet my classmates, stretch my brain, and join the lofty ranks of CUDE alumni!
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