What will your first call be?
A career as a Contact Management Centre Officer provides variety and challenge that really cannot be matched.
It’s a role that requires enthusiastic, resilient individuals able to use their own initiative to solve problems whilst displaying empathy and tact. It can be challenging and unpredictable at times, but with first class training and development opportunities, you will be performing a rewarding role that sits at the very heart of our service to the public.
Don’t just take our word for it; read out our Q&A session with Laura Lovekin below, one of our Trainee Contact Management Centre Officers in Milton Keynes.
Name: Laura Lovekin
Job: Trainee Contact Management Centre Officer
Length of service: 9 months
What made you consider a role within Contact Management?
My Husband was working as a Contact Management Officer having joined TVP a few months before I applied. The job sounded like something I would really enjoy doing so I sent in my application.
Before joining TVP, did you have a job and were you nervous about giving that up for something completely new?
Before TVP, I was working for a logistics company. I was not nervous about giving my current job because it wasn’t pushing me and I was looking for an opportunity to develop my skills.
More generally, is working for the Police something that has always interested you?
Working in Contact Management was never something I’d really considered, but I’d always had an interest in the role of a response police officer.
How were your first few months in the role – were they what you expected?
The first few months were very structured – classroom training to learn about different types of crime followed by a period of training on the system and finally a period of tutoring and mentoring on live calls. You start with a group of others so everyone is in the same boat and you can build a good bond with them over that period.
It is pretty much what I expected given the information I was told prior to joining.
How do you find the shift work?
I don’t have any issues with shift work although this is the first job I’ve had with full night shifts as standard. Everyone is different though and everyone has their preferences.
How were you feeling when you took your first call?
Nervous and apprehensive but with an element of excitement too that I was finally doing the role I’d been employed for. My cohort were part of a tutoring hub so the tutor is listening in to help guide you through those early days. You certainly are not abandoned to just get on with it!
Would you recommend the role to others? What words of advice would you give?
Absolutely! Every day is different, every call is different and the atmosphere is supportive. Advice wise – expect the unexpected and be eager to learn.