Call center workers going back to school

SOCIOECONOMIC status should not hinder an individual’s goal to finish college, according to a contact center and business process outsourcing (BPO) company which has opened a program for employees to finish tertiary education while working the graveyard shift.

Javier Infante, president and chief executive officer of Telus International Philippines, Inc., told reporters in a press briefing yesterday helping his employees finish college education was not just a clear investment for the company but also on an individual’s future.

The program called “Telus International University” is a partnership with five universities.

“The company will subsidize the tuition of the beneficiary. The classes will be held in the two centers of Telus located in Cubao in Quezon City and Taguig. The professors of the universities will teach the standard curriculum but during schedules most suited for our employees who are working at night,” he said.

Mr. Infante said there would be 50 employees in the initial wave of the program, which aims to reach 1,000 workers in the next three years.

The employees can choose from courses including economics, entrepreneurship, management, information technology, and humanities.

“Like a usual applicant, the employee still has to pass an entrance examination. We will help to prepare for that by conducting review sessions,” he said.

The company has 8,500 employees located in three sites — Ortigas Center in Pasig, Cubao in Quezon City, and the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

“Sixty percent of our employees are college degree holders while there are 40% who are not,” Mr. Infante said.

Mr. Infante said the company would not require employees to sign a bond or contract as a condition before joining the program.

The employee also has the liberty to resign shortly after enrolment, the Telus chief executive said.

“We are not doing this to force them to stay with us. But we would be happier if they decided to grow with the company. Through this program, we are encouraging them to be at their best,” Mr. Infante told reporters.

Mr. Infante also said employees who finish the Telus International University program would be encouraged to apply for a higher position. — Aura Marie P. Dagcutan, Businessworld