It's the whole shift to the information age. Increased computerization, not just in research and development, but also in factories. I see a lot of white collar work emerging. Retail is booming. Services like the hotels, motels and restaurants are growing as more two-parent families enter the work place and you have fewer people staying home, cooking dinner.
Call centers are the new factories, the entry-level factory jobs of yesterday.
I truly agree that is a first step in someone's path to an information-age job. You make calls, follow your script, and someone supervises you. It is very much process-oriented. Then you go to customer service centers like State Farm or Providian, and you see a higher-order skill. Dealing with customers and being able to satisfy customers' needs.