A PROJECT to help sustain the growing number of North West call centre jobs amid global competition has been launched.

Call North West aims to protect the 146,000 people who form four per cent of the area's working population and work in its 650 call centres.

A £2.5million grant from the North West Development Agency has secured the project for three years.

The University of Central Lancashire will pioneer Call North West by working with major employers to train staff, give companies advice, encourage 'world class' standards and ensure the region is globally competitive.

Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, said: "The North West boasts some of the best customer service professionals in the world and has one of the highest concentration of call centres in the UK. The project is great news for the region and will help this vibrant sector to a bright future by making it as competitive as possible.

"Call North West estimates that the industry will continued to grow at 25 per cent a year but we recognise that many call centre workers are worried about their jobs in the face of fierce global competition.

"But the only way to protect jobs is not through protectionism or by trying to compete on labour costs - it is to keep on delivering the best call centres in the world."