Contact Centre Expands School Leavers’ Programme

A contact centre in Peterborough has lengthened its school leavers’ programme to offer students an alternative to university education.

The scheme, run by Fusion Contact Centre Services, is evolving to include opportunities across the wider BGL Group.

Full-time places are offered to pupils from local schools who, as part of the programme, study for formal financial services qualifications with the backing of the business.

In addition to working in the contact centre, the 2014 intake will benefit from new placements in core areas of the BGL business, including those responsible for insurance policy pricing, partner relationships and recruitment.

“This programme is seen as a viable alternative to higher education for students looking for work placements, mentoring and access to professional qualifications while earning a full time salary,” said Della Garmory, HR Director for Intermediated Businesses at BGL. “The success of our initial Fusion Pathway programme has led us to evolve and strengthen our training, meaning students can take their first steps in business and learn how to build a great career from some of BGL’s leading employees.”

Four Peterborough school leavers are already building their careers on the Pathway programme. They have been placed on comprehensive secondments around the growing business, having completed an initial six-month placement in Fusion’s contact centre.

“Launching my career in this way made perfect sense, given the opportunities for growth and development available to me as an employee of the wider BGL Group,” said Laura Bunning, who started out on the Fusion Pathway Programme in September 2013. “We all wanted to explore alternatives to university education, and from day one none of us have looked back!”