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How we helped EE transform their entry-level Contact Centre recruitment at zero cost
Recruiting at scale for entry-level contact centre roles has always presented a challenge for large employers. For organisations like EE, which employs thousands of customer service advisors across contact centres in the North East, the need to balance speed, quality, and cost in hiring is critical.
Through its partnership with Back to Work, EE adopted a smarter approach: a zero cost recruitment solution powered by pre-employment training, designed to create job-ready candidates before they even entered the hiring process.
The challenge: High-volume hiring, limited time and rising costs
EE operates major contact centres across the North East, regularly recruiting for large volumes of entry-level customer service roles.
Like many employers managing high volume customer service recruitment, the business faced several ongoing challenges:
- High application volumes with inconsistent candidate quality
- Time-intensive screening and onboarding processes
- Skills gaps among entry-level applicants
- Rising recruitment costs and pressure to improve efficiency
- Early attrition linked to poor role understanding
The need was clear: find a way to reduce recruitment costs, improve candidate quality, and speed up time to hire, without compromising on performance.
The solution: Zero cost recruitment with Pre-Employment Training
Back to Work addressed this challenge by delivering a fully funded recruitment programme for employers, built around tailored pre-employment training aligned with EE's vacancies.
Unlike traditional recruitment models, this approach flips the process:
Train first. Recruit second.
Our programmes are designed specifically for employers looking to hire entry level customer service staff who are ready to perform from day one.
Candidates complete focused training aligned to EE’s real job requirements, including:
- Customer service communication skills
- Contact centre systems and digital tools
- Workplace behaviours and expectations
- Handling realistic customer scenarios
This model provides EE with access to job-ready candidates for contact centre roles, eliminating the need to train from scratch and significantly improve hiring outcomes.
Watch: Back to Work & EE
In the video below, we speak to Donna (Talent Acquisition at EE) to find out how our pre-employment training powered up their recruitment efforts in the North East.
Ready-made talent pipeline of job-ready candidates
By partnering with Back to Work, EE gained access to a scalable pipeline of pre-screened, trained candidates, individuals who had already demonstrated:
- Commitment to completing structured training
- Understanding of contact centre environments
- Core customer service competencies
This approach acts as a workforce-ready talent pipeline, allowing EE to streamline its recruitment process and focus only on qualified applicants.
The impact: Faster, smarter, cost-effective recruitment
Faster time to hire
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With candidates already trained, EE significantly reduced its time to hire for contact centre roles, enabling quicker onboarding and improved operational efficiency.
Reduced recruitment costs
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As a zero cost recruitment solution for employers, the programme removed traditional hiring expenses, delivering a highly cost-effective recruitment solution without compromising on quality.
Improved candidate quality
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Because candidates are trained to meet real job requirements, EE benefits from stronger performance and better alignment from day one.
Lower attrition, more retention
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Pre-employment training ensures candidates fully understand the role before starting, helping to reduce staff turnover in contact centres and improve long-term retention.
Scalable hiring for high-volume needs
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For a business regularly managing bulk hiring for customer service roles, this model provides a consistent, scalable recruitment solution that grows with demand.
Supporting regional growth in the North East
Beyond operational benefits, the partnership supports wider regional goals.
By implementing a contact centre recruitment solution in the North East, EE is also:
- Creating opportunities for local jobseekers
- Supporting individuals into sustainable employment
- Strengthening regional skills in customer service and digital roles
This approach aligns employer demand with local talent supply, delivering both economic and social value.
A smarter approach to entry-level contact centre recruitment
We believe that our collaboration with EE highlights a shift in how employers should approach entry level contact centre recruitment.
Instead of relying solely on traditional hiring methods, our model offers a fully funded, employer-focused recruitment solution that delivers:
- Job-ready candidates
- Faster hiring cycles
- Reduced recruitment costs
- Improved retention outcomes
For employers asking how to recruit entry level contact centre staff quickly and efficiently, pre-employment training provides a proven answer.
In today’s competitive hiring landscape, employers need recruitment solutions that deliver both speed and quality, without escalating costs.
Through its programmes with Back to Work, EE has demonstrated how a zero cost, pre-employment training model can transform contact centre hiring, saving time, money, and effort while building a stronger, more prepared workforce.
For organisations looking to streamline recruitment, reduce costs, and access trained customer service talent, we believe this approach represents a clear competitive advantage.
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