93996: CC4 Further Education and Training Certificate – Contact Centre Operations (Level 4 Learning Programme 71489)

Learners working towards this qualification will find that the acquisition of competence in the unit standards, which make up the qualification, will add value to learner`s job. This qualification is intended to enhance the provision of entry level service within the Contact Centre Industry.

Rationale of the qualification

The National Qualification in Contact Centre operations: Level 4 is designed to meet the needs of those learners want to progress and will assist those who make Contact Centre Operations their chosen career path, in the field of Contact Centres. Contact Centres have become key business tools – integral to the way organisations achieve their business objectives. Contact Centres are a new industry – there is a need to develop career paths in this field, and it is a high growth industry constantly in need of skilled people.

The Contact Centre industry is also fast becoming the next knowledge worker industry. All Contact Centres are currently recruiting, training and performance managing agents. Currently Call Centres sit inside of existing organisations within larger Industries, i.e. Banking, Insurance, Pay-TV.

The Contact Centre National Certificate at NQF Level 4 will provide the broad knowledge and skills needed in the industry and to progress along a career path for learners who:

• At the higher levels needs a set of unit standards against which to align and measure themselves.
• Were previously disadvantaged or who were unable to complete their schooling and were therefore denied access to Further Education and Training.
• Have worked in Contact Centres for many years, but have no formal qualification in Contact Centre Management.
• Wish to extend their range of skills and knowledge of the industry so that they can become competent workers in Contact Centres.The National Certificate in Contact Centre Operations: Level 4 allows the learner to work towards a nationally recognised whole qualification. The qualification will allow both those in formal education and those already employed in Contact Centre organisations access, due to its flexibility.The qualification focuses on the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes required to progress further within the Contact Centre industry. The intention is:

• To promote the development of knowledge and skills that are required in Contact Centres.
• To release the potential of people.
• To provide opportunities for people to move up the value chain.Many different roles and careers are linked to and affected by this qualification. They include, but are not limited to:
• Sales Managers
• Administration staff
• Contact Centre Managers
• Category Managers
• Sales Representatives
• Telesales Clerks
• National Account Managers
• Sales Directors
• Key Account Managers
• Client Services Clerks
• Channel Managers
• Quality Assurance staff
• Contact Centre / Call Centre Supervisors
• Contact Centre/ Call Centre Agents
• General Managers
• IT StaffThe National Certificate in Contact Centre Operations: Level 4, should produce knowledgeable, skilled people who are able to contribute to improved productivity and efficiency within the Contact Centre industry. It should provide the means for current individuals in the Contact Centre field to receive recognition of prior learning and to upgrade their skills and knowledge base. The qualification is structured in such a way that it exposes individuals to a set of core competences to give a broad understanding of Contact Centre operations and supervision, and the electives, which will allow for a specialisation of competence in either a commercial or an emergency environment. It will also promote the notion of life-long learning.

Learners accessing this unit standard or qualification will have demonstrated competency against unit standards in Contact Centres at NQF Level 2 or equivalent
Learners are expected to have demonstrated competency in language Verbal and written communication skills) and numeracy at NQF Level 3 or equivalent
Learners will demonstrate competence in a Second Language (verbal and written communication skills) at NQF level 2.

Recognition of prior learning

The structure of this Unit Standard based Qualification makes the Recognition of Prior Learning possible, if the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this.

This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow:

For accelerated access to further learning.
Gaining of credits towards a unit standard.

All Recognition of Prior Learning is subject to quality assurance by the relevant accredited Education, Training, Quality, Assurance Body and is conducted by an accredited workplace assessor.

The Fundamental Component consists of Unit Standards in:

• Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4 to the value of 16 credits
• Communication at NQF Level 4 in a First South African Language to the value of 20 credits
• Communication in a Second South African Language at NQF Level 3 to the value of 20 creditsIt is compulsory therefore for learners to do Communication in two different South African languages, one at NQF Level 4 and the other at NQF Level 3.All Unit Standards in the Fundamental Component are compulsory.Core Component:The Core Component consists of Unit Standards to the value of 66 credits all of which are compulsory.Elective Component:Learners are to choose Unit Standards to a minimum of 10 credits from the Elective Component.