Sitel Academy: Unlimited and free

MANILA, Philippines - The rudiments of getting a job in any call center include conversational English and a foreign accent. Many applicants who fail to display both are often sent home and asked to try again after three or six months.

To help applicants pass their exams and interviews, numerous training centers offering classes about call center operations have been put up. But the hefty price tags on their courses have held back many.

In response, Sitel Philippines established Sitel Academy in 2007, a program that gives free call center training to anyone interested in starting and growing a career in the business process outsourcing industry.

The Academy provides intensive 20-day training for interested applicants, including students, training them to meet the industry’s standards and be an integral part of any contact center, specifically the expanding Sitel family.  

“More than competency in English, we give applicants all the skills necessary to adapt and succeed in any contact center,” said Sitel Philippines recruitment director Nathan Andaya. “All they need to do is enroll. No strings attached.”

Further, Sitel Academy offers chances to applicants who do not pass the application process. “Unlike other training centers, the Academy does not give up on anyone who comes short,” Andaya said, adding that trainees can continue with the program for as long as they need to. “Trainees even receive one-on-one coaching from our trainers.”

Across all sites, the program has had many success stories. “In Sitel Baguio for instance, university students enroll and we hire them once they complete their training,” Andaya said. “This allows them to earn for their tuition and support their family.”

Hired trainees eventually apply for higher posts like quality analysts, coaches or team leaders. “These people are valued employees, as they are loyal and most likely to succeed in their roles. Since Sitel Academy’s inception in 2007, we have hired over 4,000 trainees.”

Sitel Academy is located in Pasig City and Baguio City. More information on how to begin a career in the call center industry can be found at www.sitel.com