member advisor

operations associate

administrator

compliance officer

retail sales associate

First West Credit Union

The people in this amazing organization strive to stay on top of the most current best practices in all areas that I've encountered. Their response to the pandemic was exemplary - I never lost any productivity time and the leadership has always been totally supportive of all the challenges that were caused by the pandemic. They are also very supportive of employees' personal situations and do their best to accommodate, when necessary. 

The corporate culture is guided by an absolute dedication to inclusion and diversity as well as a "work hard / play hard" ethic. First West fully respects and supports people's differences, professional development needs, and personality types. Employee's unique talents and passions are not only accepted, but they are usually embraced and celebrated!

I can honestly say that I've never worked with/for a better organization and would highly recommend First West Credit Union to anyone who enjoys progressive, harmonious, professional growth, doesn't mind working hard, and who wants to learn how financial institutions SHOULD be treating their customers/members.

When I began my employment with this organization, it often appeared in the list of top employers to work for in British Columbia.  Today it is a different organization.

Middle and upper management are an entitled and privileged group with seemingly little concern for those member facing employees who help generate the revenue to support their salaries.  The workload is heavy and the company consistently runs short staffed.  You will be expected to achieve massive sales and referral targets annually or face losing your job.

There is little consistency in the way that each branch/office is managed.  Your experience will entirely depend upon the manager you get.  I have had wonderful managers over the years, but I have also had many epic failures in managers I was unfortunate enough to have to work for.  


Training within this company for both new hires and existing employees is poor to say the least.  Your workload is heavy in this high pressure sales environment and the expectation is that you learn what you need to learn on your own time or when you have a second of spare time in your day.  Unrealistic and you're being set up to fail.

Worked for this organization for 15+ years and saw a lot of changes - not all good, not all bad.  The biggest problem is upper management - too many cooks in the kitchen, and all wanting the menu to be what they want.  Change is a DAILY thing, which doesn't give staff enough time to really learn what is going on and they really don't have any support.   Departments are changing monthly - really hard to figure out where you are supposed to go for help.  The company has lost the Credit Union values and operates just like a big bank (without the technological or financial support of big banks).  This means if you are in branch expect high targets and pressure to sell.  I have never seen so many people fired, or let go via restructure in my entire life - this causes stress as well as you are always worried about your job. There are people with great ideas/vision but they just aren't heard.  They are working towards harmonization, but it is taking years and is very stressful for frontline staff.   If you enjoy high stress, little advancement, good pay and benefits, then go for it!  Take the experience and run!

I've been with First West for more than 6 years following a dozen at a chartered bank and cup of coffee at another credit union.   Credit Unions compete against the same big bank conglomerates they always have and some new competitors (apple, google etc) and ever changing consumer needs.  We have to change to stay relevant and some people are more willing to adapt than others.  Change brings opportunity but that depends on the attitude you bring.  This organization has provided me the support to develop my skills, opportunities to work in several amazing communities throughout this great province and plenty of upward movement and career advancement.  The pay and benefits are competitive and I enjoy a nice balance between work and family life.  I know some people here that aren't happy but more that are.  I feel the senior leadership is move us in the right direction but it takes time to bring things together following a big merge (First West and Island Savings).

I've had the pleasure of working at First West Credit Union, and I must say, it's been an incredible experience. The work environment is not only productive but also fun, making it easy to come to work every day. The leadership team is very supportive, and it shows in the way they prioritize employee well-being and development. The benefits package is top-notch, and the work-life balance is truly achievable.

One of the things that stands out about First West Credit Union is its commitment to the community. I'm proud to be part of an organization that actively participates in local initiatives and encourages employees to get involved. It's clear that the credit union is dedicated to making a positive impact.

Overall, I'd highly recommend working at First West Credit Union to anyone looking for a fulfilling career. The team is fantastic, the work is engaging, and the company culture is truly special.

My time at First West started on a high note. The workspace is clean and modern, with an energy that initially made me feel like I was part of something meaningful and impactful. The onboarding process was thoughtful and thorough, giving me time to understand the environment before expectations ramped up.

However, the deeper into the culture I got, the more disconnected things felt. Despite the company’s public messaging around psychological safety, innovation and being an agile workplace, the internal reality was much more traditional and risk-averse. Leadership often felt out of sync with in-branch and even head office teams.

I worked in the admin for this credit union and wouldn't recommend it to my worst enemy. With head offices located in multiple cities, communication is poor and leaders play favourites with regional staff. It's a toxic "us vs them" mentality and they are constantly restructuring the departments to try to figure out how to use all the staff they gain during mergers. I've never worked anywhere else with this many unhappy staff and the competitiveness is far from healthy. The department I worked in was in a constant state of change and everyone was always tense and worried someone else might take their job or their opportunities. While things like staff surveys are done, management isn't listening.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Member advisor 1 salary reported	$25.92 per hour
Operations associate 3 salaries reported	$22.00 per hour
Administrator 4 salaries reported	$49,813 per year
Compliance officer 3 salaries reported	$84,310 per year
Retail sales associate 3 salaries reported	$48,250 per year

Working at Tru Cooperative Bank: company overview and reviews

Tru Cooperative Bank

Tru Cooperative Bank ratings

Popular jobs at Tru Cooperative Bank

Salary satisfaction

Job seeker tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected