Member Article

Contact Centre Conference makes North East debut

The first North East Contact Centre Conference will invite key decision makers in one of the region’s fastest growing industries to ensure continued prosperity and support the sector’s predicted growth. The event, to be hosted by Tyne and Wear Development Company in partnership with the regional development agency One NorthEast and the Contact Centre Advisory Board, takes place on Thursday 8 March at the Sage Gateshead.

The 150 contact centres in the North East currently employ more than 53,000 people, and this number is increasing thanks to investments in recent months. Currently at 4.75% of the North East working population, employment in contact centres in the region is forecast to grow by 14% between 2005 and 2008.

Peter Shields, business services sector manager at One NorthEast said: “To hold the first North East Contact Centre Conference is another step forward to ensure that our contact centres stay at the forefront of the industry in the face of growing competition from abroad. “We need to ensure that access to best practice and technology is available as well as making sure the workforce is the most skilled around. All of these subjects will help to make the sector even more successful allowing more people to carve out successful careers for themselves.”

Paul Buie, manager of Tyne and Wear Development Company, said: “While we can be justifiably proud of North East contact centres, which are recognised around the world for their skills and productivity, this is a highly competitive industry and we cannot afford to stand still. “The conference is an important stepping stone towards the development of a workable, long-term plan for the industry and its workforce.”

Those wishing to register an interest in attending the conference should call 01429 233903 or visit www.cccnortheast.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .