Apprentices Are Go

A contact centre in Sunderland has overhauled its apprenticeship programme – and taken on ten new agents.

The ten new apprentices are part of a revamped employment partnership between Fusion Sunderland and South Tyneside College.

The programme, which has been running for three years, has been overhauled for 2014 to adapt to the changing demands of the contact centre industry. The shift focuses more on teamwork, personal drive and communication skills, rather than on experience.

The year-long apprenticeship programme aims to promote excellence in customer service while enabling the apprentices to have time to study for an NVQ in Contact Centre Operations.

Around 120 applicants, the majority from partner college South Tyneside College, were whittled down to 10 via a series of interviews and workshops during the summer months.

The successful group of Kier Callaghan, Dominique Scott, Matthew Lindsay, Chloe Leitch, Billy Sayers, Christopher McCulla, Lucy Whelan, Jack Ingram, Rachel Monks and Shaun Nelson have now all started their apprenticeships.

“The way Fusion recruited was excellent. Sometimes a single interview doesn’t always give you the chance to show your full potential,” said Matthew Lindsay. “We had two days to show our strengths at the boot-camp-style training. This was a much better way of demonstrating our skills.”

All apprentices have the opportunity to secure a permanent position at the end of the 12-month programme.

“We have tailored a new approach to assessment right through from recruitment to graduation which we believe will see apprentices develop into exceptional contact centre advisers,” said Natasha Kelsey, Contact Centre Team Leader.