City gives P2M fund for call center training

At least P2-million financial assistance was released by the Cebu City government to help over 800 Cebuanos complete a two-week call center agent training program.

These Cebuanos are part of the first batch of trainees to benefit from the project launched last month aimed at meeting the high demand for call center agents in the country.

Councilor Eduardo Rama Jr., chairman of the committee on labor, employment and manpower, who sponsored the resolution recently, said he appropriated P2 million financial assistance by way of loan agreement to finance call center scholars through the establishment of the study-now pay-later program. The project is made possible through the support of the Academic Consortium for English Proficiency, a league of five higher learning institutions here - University of Cebu, University of the Visayas, University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of San Carlos and University of Southern Philippines which will provide the 55-hour training course.

The city government provides assistance to the University of Southern Philippines Foundation, Inc. The program requires no age limit, and that Cebuanos could avail of the scholarship as long as they meet the standard qualifications set by the ACEP.

To avail of the scholarship, the student/trainee must apply in any of the five ACEP member universities. The university reserves the right to screen and recommend the applicant to ACEP. Should the applicant meet the standard language proficiency set by ACEP, he/she can start with the training and after completing the course, will be given a certificate.

The city government will release the scholarship fund of P2,500 per trainee through ACEP, which in turn gives the fund to the university where the applicant completed the training.

To ensure that this program will continue and benefit more Cebuanos, each trainee is required to sign a contract with the city government. Under the contract, as soon as the trainee completes the training and eventually hired by a call center, such call center will give P2,500. This money will serve as the revolving fund for the program. - Garry B. Lao