The global call/contact center market is projected to reach $337.8 billion by 2018, driven primarily by increasing corporate focus on providing efficient customer service as a part of business development, according to a recent report from Global Industry Analysts.

To keep up with industry demands for trained workers, the College of Extended Learning at Cal State San Bernardino will offer a certificate program in spring 2016 under its professional and continuing education sector.

The Call Center Training certificate program is especially beneficial to high school graduates, those re-entering the workforce after a long hiatus, seeking a change in career, or suitable for retirees seeking part-time work.

The 11-week course will begin Friday, April 8, and run through Friday, June 17. The class will meet once a week from 1-4 p.m., at CSUSB’s Yasuda Center. The first week will consist of an orientation, followed by five weeks of soft skills training, and the next five weeks of hard skills training in a lab.

“A major trend in the call center industry is the integration of social media with the contact centers,” said Victoria Seitz, a professor and chair of marketing at CSUSB’s College of Business and Public Administration. Seitz, together with fellow faculty member Barbara Sirotnik, professor and director of CSUSB’s Institute of Applied Research and Policy Design, developed the training course.

“Call centers are gradually taking up image management roles for client companies and integrating social media context modules into their solutions to enable agents to quickly identify social media conversations that are most relevant to the clients' businesses,” said Seitz.

The program is designed to develop a solid skillset as an entry-level call center representative or customer service/sales representative. The course is taught in a face-to-face classroom setting in addition to online assignments.

Individuals will learn what skills these jobs entail and develop a working knowledge of selling, collaborating in teams, keyboarding and effective communication designed for the specific industry.

In addition to developing a fundamental understanding of what the profession entails, other specific skill building includes:

  • Developing telephone skills for inbound and outbound calls;
  • Developing skills in customer care and call handling;
  • Learning to manage challenging customers, co-workers and difficult situations;
  • Identifying opportunities to serve customer needs with products and services;
  • Gaining insight into managing ethical issues; and
  • Learning the fundamentals of personal image and job etiquette.

The course will provide a solid grounding in what participants can expect in this type of occupation, learn interviewing techniques, and how to prepare resumes and cover letters for employment in this field.

According to the California Employment Development Department in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, the demand for call center and customer service employees rose by 12 percent in 2012. With the Inland Empire’s economy growing, the demand for call center employees continues to rise, with more than 1,000 job openings in this field as of last September.

Because of space availability in the Inland Empire, many large companies have already established call centers in the region, including Southern California Gas, Enterprise Holdings, American Home Remodeling, ARS National Services, Starcrest of Calif., Springboard and Goodwill.

In partnership with the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board, the call center training certificate program welcomes individuals eligible for Workforce Development grant funds.

For more information, contact the Professional and Continuing Education staff in the College of Extended Learning at (909) 537-5976 or email pace@csusb.edu. For a complete description of program or to register visit the Call Center Training website.

Also visit the Call Center Training Program at CSUSB Facebook page.

The College of Extended Learning provides lifelong learning opportunities for the various stages of life ranging from high school, college, career to retirement. It also extends the university’s resources into the community, region, nation and around the world.

Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, Cal State San Bernardino is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually.

For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.