Go forward into a call centre career

Apr 3 2007 By The Journal

Following on from a very successful pilot in 2004/2005, Go-Forward, the pre-employment training programme for contact centres, has been launched across the North-East. City of Sunderland College, in partnership with Contact Centre Professional and Stockton Riverside College, will deliver the training. Targeting the most disadvantaged clients, all graduates are guaranteed an interview with a local employer and will hopefully take up one of the many vacancies available.

Funded by the Learning and Skills Council under its European Social Fund provision, the initiative is supported by E-skills UK (the sector skills council for contact centres), Jobcentre Plus, Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the North-East Employer Coalition (NEEC) which has been instrumental in the design and development of Go Forward.

Successful candidates can expect to achieve all six key skills, national test certificates in Literacy and Numeracy and the City and Guilds RVQ qualification in the Introduction to Contact Centres.

Andrew Bewley, head of training and skills, NPower, said: "NPower fully supports the programme, having worked in conjunction with Contact Centre Professional for several years now. I am delighted that the programme will be offered regionally as it will support NPower in the North-East and help us with recruitment now and in the future."

For further information please contact Jill Wheeler on (0191) 497-3492, email jill.wheeler@necoalition.org.uk or check out the NEEC website www.necoalition.org.uk