For the business community, it is becoming more and more obvious just how lucrative owning and running a dedicated contact center is. Fusion Sunderland is one of those companies that long ago recognized how smart of a business practice this was and it actually started an apprentice program that teaches young adults (ages 16-22) how to best work in a customer services contact center. This year, the company has enrolled 13 new apprentices on what will be a year-long training program.
The particpants in this particular program will not only find out what working in a contact center is like but they will be able to achieve an NVQ level two certification in Contact Center operations from Sunderland College. With the popularity of contact centers growing, both when it comes to first class businesses and government entities, this program becomes a kind of career development program. During the apprenticeship program, the young adults will get coaching and development training from a member of an existing Fusion team member. The apprentices will also take live calls from for several of the United Kingdom’s leading insurance providers while also spending one day a week taking classes at Sunderland College.
Sarah Burns, head of Site at Fusion Sunderland, talked about how the program helps her company as well as those who will be looking for a career in the very near future: “It’s vital that local businesses support young adults and school leavers to secure employment. This summer, the number of 16-24 year olds looking for work increased by 7,000, taking the national total to 1.027 million. Since Fusion launched the apprenticeship scheme in 2010, 18 young people have secured full time employment and it’s great to watch them succeed. I hope that all 13 of our new apprentices remain with Fusion after completing their course and chose to develop a career with us.”
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