Call centre staff get work in Holland (From Western Telegraph)

Call centre staff get work in Holland

Sixty redundant call centre workers are leaving Pembrokeshire to work in Holland as airport baggage handlers and warehouse staff.

Seven began working at Schipol, Hollands main airport yesterday (Tuesday) and the rest will follow over the next few weeks.

Pembrokeshire was targeted by European recruitment company IPS Ltd after 945 people were made redundant from the Cleddau Call Centre, Pembroke Dock, following the collapse of ITV Digital.

Ninety people met representatives of IPS Ltd at a recruitment day in Pembroke last Tuesday.

Harrie Van De Steldt, of IPS Ltd, says the vacancies on offer are mainly short-term labouring jobs, including fresh produce pickers and packers. We were very pleased with the level of interest in these jobs and with the quality of the staff we have recruited, he said.

Meanwhile, work is continuing to help other former call centre staff through an employee advice centre at the Cleddau Reach Training Centre, Pembroke Dock.

The facility brings together advice on job and training opportunities, benefits and financial concerns under one roof.

It has been a lifeline for people who were made redundant last month including 21-year-old William Covington, of Pembroke Dock, who lost his job as a customer service representative.

This facility was brought together quickly and at a key site which we are all familiar with - this is where we trained from day one, he said. I can get advice on what jobs are available, but I am hopeful that a new client can be found for the call centre soon because I enjoyed working there.

Nick Lloyd, manager of the Pembroke Dock JobCentre, said 150 people sought advice in the first three days alone.

It has become a focal point for ex-call centre employees and will continue indefinitely, he added.

As long as the centre is viable we will run it. The resources may reduce, but it will remain in place for as long as people need it.

Many organisations are represented at the advice centre, including the JobCentre, Pembrokeshire Action Team for Jobs, PRP Training, Careers Wales West, Mainport Training and Education and Learning Wales.

Employers are also keen to recruit from the centre, said Nick Lloyd. We have booked 78 interviews for vacancies with Elev8. Atlantic Electric and Gas have already interviewed and are returning to interview further, he added.

Manpower and 7C have always maintained that they had an excellent workforce at the Cleddau Centre and are keen to help these people with job and training opportunities.

They have no concerns that it will diminish the available employment pool once the call centre is fully operational again.

This can only enhance any future recruitment, said Debbie Rainbow, Manpowers contracts manager at the Cleddau Centre.

We see it as a plus rather than a threat and even if we lose some of that workforce to other opportunities, it sends out a positive message to others who might be interested in working with us in the future.

The call centres short-term temporary contract with NTL continues.

A spokesperson for the centre would not be drawn on suggestions that more ex-staff had been recruited this week to work on the contract. But the future looks hopeful, she said. We were pleased to have successfully accommodated NTL for a short-term temporary contract and are confident that in doing so we demonstrated the speed, flexibility and skill of that workforce in adapting to sales and customer service needs of new business.

We are ready, willing and able to take on any similar arrangement for specific projects with NTL, should that now develop from the relationship we have established, she said.