Fund set for high-level BPO skills

THE government has allocated funding for training business process outsourcing (BPO) near-hires to attune the workforce with the latest trends in IT as the industry expands its skills set to include electronics engineers.

In a press conference on Tuesday, state-run Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) said it would release a P20-million revolving fund to finance the Society for Higher Information Technology Education (Shift) initiative.

Shift is a joint program of Tesda, Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), Informatics Philippines and other partners wherein qualified near-hires would undergo IT training.

“IT is the great equalizer. We introduced Shift to contribute in uplifting lives of people through IT education,” said Leo Riingen, Informatics Philippines chief executive officer.

Oscar Sañez, BPAP president, said only five out of every 100 BPO applicants are hired, while up to 20 of them are considered “near-hires”—applicants who just lack several skills.

Joel Villanueva, Tesda director general, said Shift scholars would be referred to BPAP member-companies when they graduate.
BPAP members that hired Shift graduates would reimburse the training fund.

The Shift program would start before this year ends, Villanueva said.

Villanueva said about 60 percent of the scholars are expected to become full-hires, adding that BPAP has committed to absorb 70 percent of the graduates.

“We have to assure investors we have the talents they need,” Sañez said.

Ornan Vicente, Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines national president, also on Tuesday said electronics engineers now are no longer limited to providing technical support and services.

Vicente said many electronics engineers are currently employed in the BPO sector, wherein they are involved in content development, animation and tele-medicine. –Ben Arnold O. De Vera, Manila Times