Call Center Roles for School Leavers

Wakatipu High School; Queenstown; Remote; NZD 34,000 - 41,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid training

Flexible study-friendly hours

Supportive team and supervisor

Job summary

Queenstown Call Centre is seeking friendly students for outbound calls about private health insurance options in Queenstown. Your role starts with a warm first conversation, gathering basics, and connecting callers to a licensed adviser when needed.

Training is provided, with a supportive team and flexible hours around study. Earn $25.00–$30.00 per hour, weekly bonuses, and gain practical customer-service experience for future roles.

Qualifications

• No prior experience required; full training provided.
• Strong spoken and written English skills.
• Basic computer skills and data-entry accuracy.
• Reliable, motivated, and eager to learn.

Responsibilities

• Make outbound calls from Queenstown office using headset and computer.
• Follow a clear call script to guide conversations.
• Record customer details in online forms and CRM.
• Transfer interested callers to a licensed adviser when appropriate.
• Work with a supportive team led by a floor supervisor.

Skills

Friendly demeanor

Good spoken English

Basic computer skills

Reliability

Willingness to learn

Education

High school student

Tools

CRM system

Office software

Job description

Student Work Opportunity – Queenstown Call Centre

Queenstown Call Centre would love to offer work to students who are finishing school this year. We are a Queenstown-based team making outbound calls to help Australian’s compare their private health insurance options, and we are looking for friendly, motivated young people to join us.

We know that the step from school into work is a big one, for students and for their families. Our aim is to make that first job a safe, supportive and genuinely useful experience: one that builds confidence, pays fairly and teaches skills that will serve them in whatever they go on to do next.

This information sheet explains the role, what students will learn, how we support young staff, and how we will work around further study for those heading to university, polytechnic or training next year.

About the role: Customer Contact Representative

Our team calls people who have shown interest in reviewing their private health insurance. The representative's job is to have a friendly, helpful first conversation, gather some basic details, and, where the person would like more help, connect them through to a licensed adviser. Representatives do not sell or give financial advice themselves; their role is to start the conversation well.

What a typical shift looks like

• Making outbound calls from our Queenstown office using a headset and computer
• Following a clear, approved call script, so new starters always know what to say
• Recording customer details accurately in a simple online form and our customer database
• Transferring interested callers live to a licensed adviser
• Working alongside a supportive team with a team leader on the floor

What we are looking for

• A friendly, confident phone manner, or the willingness to build one
• Good spoken and written English
• Basic computer skills (typing, using web forms)
• Reliability and a positive attitude to learning
• No previous experience needed: full training is provided

What we offer

Detail

What to expect

Pay-

• $25.00 p/h for the first month with view to increasing to $30.00 p/h plus bonuses paid weekly
• Paid, structured training before taking live calls
• ASAP

Skills a young person will build

Communication and confidence

• Speaking clearly and professionally with adults they have never met
• Active listening: picking up on what someone actually needs, not just what they say
• Adjusting tone and pace to suit different people
• Growing comfortable picking up the phone, a skill many young adults find daunting

Resilience and emotional maturity

• Handling "no" politely and moving on without taking it personally
• Staying calm and courteous when a caller is busy, short or uninterested
• Bouncing back quickly and staying motivated through a shift
• Learning that setbacks are part of work, not a reflection of their worth

Customer service and problem solving

• Understanding customer needs and explaining options simply
• Thinking on their feet when a conversation goes off-script
• Knowing when to hand over to a more experienced colleague

Workplace and professional habits

• Punctuality, reliability and managing a rostered shift
• Working to targets and tracking their own progress
• Taking feedback from team leaders and applying it
• Being part of a team and supporting colleagues

Practical and technical skills

• Using a customer relationship management (CRM) system and online forms
• Accurate data entry and attention to detail
• Keyboard and multitasking skills: talking, listening and typing at once
• Handling personal information carefully and following privacy rules

Understanding the world of work and money

• A first look at how insurance works, a useful life skill in itself
• Experience of the sales and service industry, which leads into careers in marketing, business, hospitality, real estate, recruitment and more
• A solid first reference and CV entry for future jobs, scholarships and study applications

Flexible work when study starts again

We understand that many school leavers are working over the summer before heading to university, polytechnic, an apprenticeship or other training. That is not a barrier for us. We would genuinely like to keep good people, and we will work with each student to find an arrangement that fits around their studies.

What flexibility can look like

• Moving from full-time summer hours to part-time or casual hours once study begins
• Choosing shifts that fit around lectures, classes and placements
• Reduced or no hours during exam periods and assessment deadlines
• Picking up extra shifts in study breaks and over the following summer
• Where practical, discussing for students who move out of Queenstown to study

How it works

When a student knows their study plans, they simply let their team leader know.

We sit down together to agree hours and a roster that suits their timetable.

We review the arrangement each term or semester, so it keeps working as their study changes.

There is no pressure to commit to the long term. If a student only wants summer work, that is completely fine; if they would like to stay on alongside study, we will do our best to make that happen. Either way, they leave with experience, income and a reference.

Support, safety and wellbeing

We know parents and caregivers will want to feel confident about where their young person is working. Here is what they can expect from us.

Training before the phone rings

Paid training covering the call script, systems, privacy and how to handle tricky calls

Listening in on experienced team members before taking calls themselves

A gradual start, with extra coaching in the first few weeks

Ongoing support on the floor

A team leader present during every shift to answer questions and step in on difficult calls

Regular one-on-one check-ins and friendly feedback

Clear, approved scripts, so staff are never left to make things up

Staff are never expected to put up with rude or abusive callers; they are trained to end those calls politely and let a team leader know

A fair and safe workplace

A written employment agreement, with pay at or above the New Zealand minimum wage and all holiday and leave entitlements

Rostered breaks and reasonable shift lengths

A safe, professional office environment that meets health and safety requirements

A culture where questions are welcome and mistakes are treated as part of learning

Keeping families informed

We are happy to meet parents and caregivers, answer questions before a student accepts an offer, and welcome them to visit the office.

Students are always welcome to bring a support person to any meeting about their employment.