A TELEPHONE call for assistance led to the creation of a training scheme that helped telecommunications giant BT recruit people for its call centre.

Manpower, which handles BT's recruitment, contacted the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), Herefordshire and Worcestershire, based in Midland Road, Worcester.

Debbie Eldridge, from Manpower, wanted advice about finding people with the necessary skills to become call centre operatives.

BT was experiencing difficulty finding the right people to handle directory enquiries. Although recruits had good telephone manners and spelling ability, their lack of keyboard skills let them down.

Lucy Mackie, the LSC's workforce development adviser, enlisted the help of Steve Hughes, a national account manager for JobCentre Plus.

Along with training-providers Herefordshire College of Technology and Training and Contracting Services, they devised a new, three-week training course.

Within months, the pilot project course was up and running, delivered by the training providers and producing people equipped to work in the call centre, based in Hereford.

"What we've done is design a customised job preparation course to suit the employer's needs," said Mr Hughes.

"People who have been disadvantaged in the labour market are going through this course and into work."

It is hoped that the success of the pilot scheme will lead to it being rolled out to other areas of the country.