How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
College
You can take a college course before applying for a job.
Courses are widely available, including:
- customer service
- contact centre operations
- principles of customer service
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
More Information
Apprenticeship
You can apply to do an apprenticeship with an organisation, for example:
- Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
- Customer Service Specialist Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
These take around 1 year to complete and combine on-the-job training and time with a learning provider.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More Information
Direct Application
You can apply for jobs if you have customer service experience, for example from working in a shop, bank, hotel or contact centre.
Employers might want you to have:
- some GCSEs or equivalent qualifications
- good communication skills
- IT skills
- a friendly personality
More Information
Professional and industry bodies
You could join The Institute of Customer Service to use their resources and find professional development training opportunities.