Taking calls to Newcastle: The regional implications of the growth in callcentres

The growth of white-collar jobs in call centres has been a significant feat ure of the last decade. Local and regional economic development agencies ha ve sought to attract call centres because they are a source of new jobs, an d help to ameliorate the decline in employment, especially in the manufactu ring sector. This paper examines the work provided in call centres, based o n a case study of North East England. Call centres are characterized by a n arrow range of occupations and skills, and the work regime in them is inten se. The majority of the jobs are taken by women. An assessment of the long term sustainability of call centre work also highlights threats to employme nt from technical developments in the industry. Nevertheless, there is some evidence of limited improvements taking place in training and work practic es in call centres.