ICT jobs seen reaching 1.1 million in 2010

THE 266,000 jobs that the government has so far generated this year from its information and communications technology (ICT) efforts may grow to more than one million in 2010, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) said.

ICT efforts have generated 266,000 jobs this year and the number is expected to grow to 1,082,800 in 2010, an increase of about 479 percent, CICT Secretary Ramon Sales said.

In 2005, a total of 163,250 jobs were filled, Sales said at an Infrastructure Forum held Wednesday in a presentation aimed at encouraging private sector funding and expertise in ICT projects.

Call center work accounted for 112,000 jobs in 2005 and 179,000 in 2006, and this sector could create 506,500 jobs in 2010, he said.

For back office work, 22,500 jobs were generated in 2005 and 40,500 this year. Some 337,000 jobs may be counted under this sector in 2010, Sales said.

Software development filled 12,000 jobs in 2005, contributed 15,600 this year, and could generate 44,600 in 2010, he said.

In medical transcription, there were 5,500 jobs in 2005 and 13,800 this year. An estimated 114,700 jobs may be counted under this sector in 2010, Sales said.

There were about 4,500 animators in 2005 and 6,800 in 2006. Their number can grow to 24,400 in 2010, he said.
Other ICT-related jobs accounted for 6,750 in 2005 and 10,100 this year. The figure is expected to reach 55,600 in 2010, he said.

To help generate that many ICT jobs, the government through the CICT has to provide appropriate ICT skills training to students, develop suitable sites for call centers and other business process outsourcing outfits, and stem the exodus of knowledge workers, Sales said.

The government’s e-governance program alone will use up P4.455 billion, ICT education and distance learning program P7.876 billion, meteorological services enhancements P1.198 billion, government mass media and broadcast services projects P4.015 billion, frequency monitoring P3.380 billion, and Philippine Postal Corp. improvements P3.380 billion, he said.

Of the total P21.960 billion in investments needed, the national government, government corporations and other government sources will account for P18.581 billion, and P3.380 billion is needed from the private sector, Sales said. —By Riza T. Olchondra, Inquirer, With INQ7.net