Partnership Working is key to gaining employment in local Contact Centres

Twenty successful students from Dundee College were presented with their Talking Tayside pre-recruitment certificates this week by Iain Ovens, Principal of the college.   Talking Tayside is the local Contact Centre Forum, with representation from employers from both the private and public sector.   Talking Tayside has 3 main strands to its operation - training; recruitment and retention and publicity and public relations.

The Talking Tayside pre-recruitment programme has become a recognised route to employment in the local contact centre industry and the success of this course is largely due to the active involvement of employers, support agencies and college staff who have all given invaluable support to this initiative.   The employers have contributed to the   development, design and evaluation of the programme, hosted workplace visits and guaranteed interviews for employment to candidates who successfully complete the programme.   The support agencies represented on the forum have also contributed to the success of this provision in many ways - Scottish Enterprise by offering funded places for to the long-term unemployed via the Training for Work initiative, Jobcentre Plus by, referring potential participants onto the programme, Careers Scotland by giving guidance on work ethics and Dundee City Council by endorsing the training.

Ann Moir, Team Leader in Contact Centre Operations, at the college said, "The college team has great enthusiasm for the programme and is dedicated to helping students achieve their potential and ultimately gain employment.   Of the 20 students who have received certificates, 15 have gained employment, 4 have secured a guaranteed interview with employers, and one who has undertaken the course as part of his full time college programme hopes to gain employment when he finishes in June.   I would say that's success!"

Jane McEwen of Jobcentre Plus and leader of the recruitment and retention strand of Talking Tayside congratulated the successful students and endorsed the support of forum, "We fully support the work undertaken in relation to pre-recruitment training by the college and recognise that working in partnership is the key for people gaining employment in our local contact centres via the guaranteed interview scheme."

Donald Maclean, Vocational Training Manager at the college and leader of the forum's training strand added, "Dundee College is proud to be leading pre recruitment training for the Contact Centre Industry in Tayside.   The success of the programme demonstrates that real partnership working provides opportunities for all participants - the unemployed looking for work, the employer looking to fill vacancies and the local economy looking for sustainability and growth."

For further information on Talking Tayside, email talkingtayside@dundeecity.gov.uk and for the pre-recruitment training programme contact the college's Vocational Training Unit on 01382 834924/5 or email vtu@dundeecollege.ac.uk

Press Release

Talking Tayside Awards 2006 Success

This weekend witnessed the fourth annual Talking Tayside Awards in Dundee's Apex City Quay Hotel. In total twelve awards were presented to representatives from the region's Contact Centre Industry. , Halifax Bank of Scotland, Tesco, Norwich Union, Dundee Pension Centre, ClientLogic and HM Revenue and Customs were all short listed as finalists in this year's ceremony and the companies themselves as well as individuals from them were competing for the prestigious awards.

Winners of the prestigious Contact Centre of the Year Award were HM Revenue and Customs, who impressed judges with their overall performance and high standards. The Contact Centre also picked up awards for Contact Centre Manager of the Year, Phyllis Lyske, Contact Centre Agent in the Community, Ross McIntyre and the Contact Centre in the Community Award - recognising the Centre's outstanding contribution to local activities.

Tesco were winners in the Support Professional of the Year category, Fiona Ahmed whilst ClientLogic were successful with the Operations Manager of the Year award going to Steven Smith. The Dundee Pension Centre were also successful on the night with the award for Team Payer of the Year going to Angela McPhail.

Halifax Bank of Scotland had three winners on the night with the award for Best Company Culture, award for Contact Centre Team Leader/Manager of the Year, Greg Roberts, and the award for Best Newcomer Agent of the Year, Diane Leonard all going to the Centre.  

Notes for Editors:

Initiated by Dundee City Council in 2000, Tayside Contact Centre Forum is a public private partnership, established to develop the contact centre industry in Tayside and to promote a positive image of the industry in the community. The forum plays a key role in maintaining and developing an industry that has become a significant source of employment in the Tayside region.

Talking Tayside promotes the industry at careers events in schools, colleges, universities and Roadshows targeting the general public. Careers advisors across Tayside have also been invited into contact centres to experience operations at first hand.

Partnerships have been fostered between employers and local training providers to create pre-recruitment training programmes that reflect the needs of employers and produce an adequate supply of qualified, ready to employ graduates. To register interest in employment or to find out more on training opportunities within the Tayside contact centre industry, please call our partners at Jobcentre Plus on 01382 373034.

The forum has organised a challenge event, where teams from each of the contact centres compete against each other in a mix of physical, mind and problem-solving activities. Both business and social events have been organised to foster a community spirit within the industry including networking events and the annual Talking Tayside Awards.

The Tayside Contact Centre Forum, "Talking Tayside" is funded by Scottish Enterprise Tayside, Jobcentre Plus, Dundee City Council, Angus Council and Perth & Kinross Council.

The Talking Tayside Awards were organized by Trigger Events for the second consecutive year.

Press Release

Talking Tayside Awards 2006 Launched

Photo Opportunity - Main Entrance, Norwich Union, Perth. Wednesday 26 th July 10.30. Last Year's winning Contact Centre of the Year team will be present with their coveted award to promote the launch of the 2006 awards.  

The Talking Tayside Awards 2006 were launched this morning with last year's Contact Centre of the Year Team from Norwich Union vowing to defend their title.

The well established awards ceremony is now in its fourth year and competition for prizes is expected to be hotter than ever according to organisers.

Talking Tayside was initiated by Dundee City Council in 2000 and is a public private forum established to develop the contact centre industry in Tayside and to promote a positive image of the industry in the community. Talking Tayside plays a key role in maintaining and developing an industry that has become a significant source of employment in the Tayside region.

With members including BT, Client Logic, Norwich Union, Tesco, Inland Revenue, Jobcentre Plus, HBOS, Department for Work and Pensions, Universal and Scottish and Southern Energy the awards are a highly regarded and sought after prize.

The awards ceremony is considered the highest profile and most important event throughout the year for the call centres and their staff.   

This year the Talking Tayside Awards will take place on Friday 24th November at the Apex City Quay Hotel in Dundee and as in all previous years the event is expected to sell out.  

There will be 12 award categories each recognising the role that the individual or contact centre plays in their organization and the local community.

For further information on Talking Tayside visit:

http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/talkingtayside/

or call Gaynor Sullivan on 01382 434000