One of Northern Ireland’s largest employers has introduced an innovative iniative to help student study and develop a career path.
Called Back to School, the programme from Firstsource Solutions offers flexible shifts to accommodate college and university commitments and enables students to earn while they are studying.
“A career with Firstsource offers many opportunities and the chance for employees to continually develop their skills. We recruit for a diverse range of job functions so there really is something for everyone,” said Laura Hourican HR general manager, UK & Ireland, Firstsource.
“Ambitious employees who have the talent to develop are always encouraged to progress within Firstsource. Many of Firstsource’s management team began their careers as customer service advisors and have moved into other areas like HR, training, operations, quality and finance.”
The Back To School scheme allows students to adjust their work hours to fit around their study timetable. Many Firstsource roles involve a variety of shift patterns which can provide flexibility for employees, while still allowing the company to plan appropriate staffing levels, and at the same time, retain talented members of staff.
Matthew Rafferty is one employee who has recognised the benefits of a career in the customer service industry. He completed his degree in August, 2011 whilst still working for Firstsource. Matthew returned to work full time for the company in September, 2011, as a customer service advisor, and he’s now looking forward to further career progression within the company if the opportunity arises.
“I was able to take advantage of the programme which allowed me to adjust my hours to suit my course. This helped me manage my studies and work throughout the year. When I took my final exams, I was able to take time off to study, which enabled me to focus on my revision and achieve a good degree,” he said.
“Firstsource has worked with me at every step of the way to help me manage my course. And it’s been great that as a result of having combined both study and work, I’ve been fast-tracked for promotion. I’m looking forward to developing my business skills and experience with the company in the future.”
To find out more about career opportunities with Firstsource Solutions, log on to www.firstsource.com or call the recruitment team on 02890 407 532.