Sigma Financial set for 600 staff recruitment drive
The Redditch-based credit management and customer service specialist opened a second office and contact centre on Priory Queensway earlier in the year, which is now ready for recruitment.
A talent academy coordinated by Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet)with Birmingham City Council and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will prepare localcandidates for administration and contact centre vacancies within the organisation.
Sigma offers 'white label'customer contact centre facilities to clients across the utilities, retail, financial services and telecommunications sectors.
Mike Harfield, Managing Director of Sigma, said: “We're excited that our plans for growth are taking place in a city that continues to lead the way in business and professional services.
“Working with the City Council and BMet, we aim to find individuals that share our vision for growth and are committed to delivering the best services to our clients. We hope to establish a team of over 600 people in the city by the end of 2016.
“We're confident that our recruitment strategy developed with the support of Birmingham City Council and BMet will help us identify new talent while providing fulfilling career opportunities to many individuals.”
Andrew Cleaves, Principal at BMet commented: “BMet is delighted to be helping Sigma channel the skills and enthusiasm of local jobseekers into sustainable employment. Their innovation and growth strategy will bring considerable benefits to the city.
“We have developed a targeted programme to help local jobseekers improve their vocational and employability skills. It will also prepare them for Sigma's application process and an employee induction.
“The training and recruitment models we provide for many leading organisations enable us to source local talent for new job opportunities across the engineering, business and retail and health care sectors.”
Penny Holbrook, Cabinet Member for Skills, Learning and Culture at Birmingham City Council added: “The council is happy to be working with Sigma on an approach to benefit Birmingham's unemployed people.
“Working with Sigma is a fine example of how the council's Employment and Skills Service can work in partnership with the employer, training provider and the DWP to ensure the employer receives a seamless service and Birmingham's unemployed people get access to the all-important bespoke training to help upskill themselves and catapult their chance to getting the job.”
BMet's recent recruitment programmes have supported the workforce needs of organisations as diverse as Jaguar Land Rover, Caterpillar and West Midlands Safari Park.