Fifth Third Bank Provides $100,000 in Job Coaching Scholarships for Veterans;
Announces Fall Programming to Honor and Support Past and Present Military

10/15/2015

Cincinnati – As part of its annual fall programming to support and honor veterans, active duty U.S. military, reservists and their family members, Fifth Third Bank today announced that it will fund $100,000 worth of full job coaching scholarships for veterans seeking help transitioning into a civilian career.

The scholarships provide eight weeks of personalized job coaching with a military job specialist at NextJob, a national reemployment solutions company. The scholarships, worth $1,000 each, will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis to the first 100 U.S. military members, veterans and their spouses, who visit www.53.com/veterans to access the Job Seeker's Toolkit and complete enrollment. Fifth Third and NextJob are pleased to once again open access to the Toolkit, NextJob's proprietary online job search modules, for free to all former and current military this year. The scholarship contest and Toolkit access are available from October 15, 2015 – December 31, 2015. Once registered, access to the Job Seeker's Toolkit continues for up to 39 weeks.

"Members of the military face unique challenges making the change from the military into civilian life," said Kathy Malone, a 26-year Navy veteran and career coach, who leads the military job coach team at NextJob. "Personalized job coaching is proven to be highly-effective in helping bridge the gaps that exist for military members during the transition, including identifying transferable skills, crafting a marketable resume and aligning expectations about a civilian career. Our team has years of experience in helping servicemen and women and we consider it a privilege to continue to serve them in the next phase of their lives."

"If it weren't for Kathy Malone, my NextJob military transition coach, I would not be where I am today," said Joe Scherrer, retired Air Force Colonel and president of The Leadership Crucible. "After deciding to retire after a 24-year Air Force career, I wanted to create a 'soft landing' for myself and my family while also balancing my responsibilities as a Colonel and cyberspace operations wing commander. Frankly, except for sports, I was skeptical of any kind of coaching, but Kathy quickly dispelled my misgivings. She opened my eyes to opportunities I would not otherwise have seen. As a result, I set to work building a post-Air Force life around who I was, what I was good at and the contribution I wanted to make."

To access the Job Seeker's Toolkit and be eligible for one of the 100 scholarships, all current and former military members and their spouses should visit www.53.com/veterans and click on the "Veterans Job Training and Coaching Scholarships" box.

In addition to its focus on employment, Fifth Third's support of veterans includes the delivery of military- and veteran-focused financial products and services. Around the occasion of Veteran's Day, Fifth Third's regions also:

  • Honor Veterans: Fifth Third organizes fundraising and commemorative events that recognize service of veterans and active-duty military;
  • Provides Community-Based Housing Support: Employees help rebuild veterans' homes and the Bank provides resources for the establishment of those homes;
  • Education: Fifth Third assists with educational needs, including job training, scholarship assistance, and financial empowerment.

An overview of Fifth Third's efforts to support veterans in available at www.53.com/veterans, including access to the Job Seeker's Toolkit and links to be qualified for the 100 available job coaching scholarships. The Company's veterans' initiatives are part of Fifth Third's long-standing commitment to supporting the communities we serve. More about our community commitment can be found in the Bank's Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

About NextJob:
Headquartered in Bend,Ore., NextJob is a nationwide outplacement firm focused on full employment in America. Centered on the Golden Rule, its mission is to provide creative reemployment solutions for employers, lenders, government and others to help job seekers land jobs and avoid the many impacts of unemployment. NextJob's service provides high quality, one-on-one job coaching and multimedia online learning that is highly effective, affordable and accountable. To learn more, visit www.nextjob.com.

About Fifth Third:
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $142 billion in assets and operates 1,299 full-service Banking Centers, including 101 Bank Mart® locations, most open seven days a week, inside select grocery stores and 2,630 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 22.8 percent interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2015, had $304 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $27 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB." Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender Equal Housing Lender.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The Fifth Third Veterans Scholarship Program begins at 12:00:00 AM ET on 10/15/15 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on 12/31/15. Contest is open only to legal residents of the 50 US/DC, 18 years of age or older at time of entry. Void where prohibited. For complete Official Rules, go to www.53.com/veterans and click on the contest link. See Official Rules for entry instructions, prize details, restrictions, etc. Sponsor: Fifth Third Bank.