Contact centre and Centralised Services provide pathways for all learners post-results day
GCSE pupils across Wales collecting their results today are predicted to get lower grades than last year, but higher than 2019 as extensive allowances were taken into account and inflated grades were given because of the unprecedented study conditions presented by the pandemic.
Exam officials are making every attempt to level grading with where it was pre-pandemic and ‘course correction,’ or grade deflation, should be more apparent next year when Wales returns fully to exams.
If learners don’t quite hit their predicted grades, there is a wealth of alternative options available to them, according to Sandra Busby, Managing Director of CNECT Wales, which was previously Wales Contact Centre Forum.
She says: “GCSEs are an important route for people who are looking to go onto study A levels and perhaps then see university as the pathway to their career.
“Vocational qualifications are a great alternative and reflect the requirements of employers, whether they equip learners to be employment-ready, or lead to further study.
“Employers may well be looking for other skills in addition to exam results and qualifications.
“The beauty of the contact centre industry is that it offers so many opportunities and career paths for different people, who aren’t necessarily suited to academic study.
“There are plenty of roles where you can work from the bottom up and create your own career. Many contact centre board members I know have started on the phonelines and may now be CEO or MD. Contact centres are a highly skilled industry.”
For some recruiters, school grades are just one of several data points they consider, along with relevant experience and skill set.
Sandra says: “Many congratulations to those who have achieved the grades they hoped for, but if you haven’t and are unsure of what to do next, you could consider the opportunities provided by contact centres.
“If you have empathy and strong communication skills and are flexible and willing to learn, you could consider a career in this very rewarding industry, which features across most sectors and functions including strategy, operations, process management and Data /Cyber Security.”
