A NEWPORT man has become the first person to be awarded an NVQ by the first ever Welsh company to achieve the coveted NVQ Centre of Excellence status.

Bob Rutherford, 59, from Caerleon, topped 450 staff at Serco Travel Services in Cardiff to claim his NVQ Level II qualification from only the second ever employer in the UK to gain Centre of Excellence status.

Victoria Howe, personnel administrator for Serco Travel Services, said: "We are the first in Wales - and perhaps even more impressively only the second ever company in the UK - to achieve Centre of Excellence status as an in-house training provider.

"Our aim is to offer all of our 450 staff the opportunity to complete the training they need to help them gain a recognised professional qualification.

"The Centre of Excellence status means that we are able to both undertake and to assess the standards of training in-house, which has positive benefits for both the business and the workforce alike.

"Now we can not only guarantee that training is of a consistently high standard, but also ensure that it exactly matches our staff and business needs, making our workforce the most professional in the business."

Bob, who retired from Great Western Trains four years ago, and was encouraged to take a call centre job by his wife, said: "I felt too young to retire, and had always enjoyed work.

"But before joining Serco Travel Services I'd only ever used a basic computer, so I hope my success shows you are never too old to learn new things, and will also encourage many more mature people to consider call centre careers.

"I really enjoy the job and the flexibility it gives me to care for my wife during the week, and then to work at weekends.

"Since joining the company I've been promoted to a level 4 agent and even been entered for the Welsh Contact Centre Awards - and all thanks to my very supportive manager Pat Harris (operations director), who has encouraged me all the way."

In the future Serco Travel Services intends to expand the scope of NVQs it offers to its staff, including the possibility of introducing NVQ Assessor units and courses for the under 25s as well.

Sandra Busby, director of the Cardiff and Newport Call Centre Initiative, said: "Serco Travel Service's status as a Centre of Excellence for training and assessing the over 25s for NVQs is an important step forward by the company and for the Welsh industry as a whole."

Serco Travel Services will be at a special recruitment fair to be held at the Welsh Call Centre Conference and Exhibition at Cardiff City Hall on Wednesday, December 4.

Alternatively call Toni Hale on 02920 448100 for more information.