BPAP launches call-center careers for ‘poorest of the poor’ street kids

TO help underprivileged but talented high-school graduates and college-level students land a good job, the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) on Wednesday formally launched the BPAP Careers for Street Kids Program.

BPAP, along with its partners, namely, Children’s Hour Philippines, Streetkids International and Virlanie Foundation, initially identified 25 poor but deserving students. The beneficiaries will undergo a six-month career training program.  In the next two years, a total of 100 more, 50 for each of the succeeding years, will be identified to be enrolled in the program.

The program targets the “poorest of the poor” who are nevertheless able to graduate in high school and with good oral and written communication skills.

One stream is for the high-school graduates, for blue-collar jobs such as messengers, janitors and other support services in partner-BPO companies.  The second stream is for the college-level students who may land as call-center agents themselves.

Evangeline T. Mayuga, executive director of Children’s Hour and one of the implementers of the project, said the program aims to provide the necessary skills training for beneficiaries.

“We would like to be able to get the youth out of the streets by providing them employment opportunity,” Mayuga said.

The first three years’ operation, she added, is funded by major BPO companies, which contributed for the funding requirement of at least P1.2 million.

“The same companies will be the one hiring the project beneficiaries,” she added.

Those who are able to land a job through the project, Mayuga said, will be asked to sponsor or provide support to fund the project’s operation after the first three years.

The BPAP Careers for Street Kids will produce motivated youth that are prepared to succeed in the jobs for which they are hired through a thorough screening process, tailored training and partnerships with companies that commit to hiring the graduates.

Employed graduates, she said, will also undergo regular mentoring and support to ensure their continued success.

On the other hand, company partners will benefit by providing a meaningful, engaging component to their Corporate Social Responsibility programs and through access to a motivated, qualified workforce that went through the stringent selection and training process.  –Jonathan Mayuga / Correspondent, Businessmirror