UK grads head for Indian call centres

A record number of British graduates are heading out to India to work in call centres, claims new research.

Travel Insurance News - 14/11/2005

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A record number of British graduates are heading out to India to work in call centres, claims new research.

Union officials claim that graduates are being lured out to India for less than a quarter of the average UK salary and are being exploited by large companies.

David Fleming, national secretary for financial services at union Amicus, said: 'This is portrayed as a travelling experience. But the truth is the graduates could have spent six months working in a call centre in Britain and earned money to travel around the world that way.'

One such firm, Launch Offshore, says that over 50 young Brits are working in its Lahore call centre, and it anticipates placing a further 200 next year.

The company defends its use of graduates and Launch Offshore's managing director, Tim Bond, told the Daily Mail that this was more of a lifestyle change.

'We do not consider this to be exploitation or a gap year. Many people enjoy themselves so much, or even get married in India, that they renew their contracts for three to four years.'

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