FEU Diliman-Sitel partnership to meet BPO employment needs

MANILA, Philippines - The business process outsourcing (BPO) industry remains to be one of the Philippines’ biggest industries and largest employers, generating revenues totaling to $15.5 billion in 2013. However, with the industry’s continued growth comes the major challenge that BPO companies currently face — the recruitment and retention of employees.

The Industry Career Guide published by the Department of Labor and Employment reports that Philippine educational institutions are not able to provide enough suitable candidates to meet the needs of the BPO sector due to a mismatch between existing curricula and industry needs. 

In an effort to produce graduates who meet the  growing needs of the BPO industry, Far Eastern University Diliman and contact center Sitel Philippines  have created an alliance to help sustain the expansion  of the BPO industry . 

FEU Diliman and Sitel Philippines recently signed a memorandum of understanding to unify efforts for the promotion of career opportunities in the BPO industry, and develop a stable supply of qualified workers for the rapidly growing sector. Sitel country director for talent acquisition Nathan Andaya and FEU Diliman Executive Director  Lakan-asa Bautista signed the MOU.

The Information Technology Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) reported that employment in the IT-BPO industry rose to 900,000 in 2013 from 777,000 in 2012. This year, the figure is expected to reach 1.3 million, as the Philippines continues to be the top choice of BPO companies for voice centers and back-office services.  

On the other hand, according to an Employment Working Paper by the International Labor Organization, out of 400,000 graduates, only 30% would be qualified to work in a call center, and out of these only 20% are willing to work in a call center.

The partnership seeks to nurture prospective employees’ soft and hard skills, including communication skills and interpersonal relations, as well as computer and technical know-how. This will be done through the integration of the Sitel Academy Training and AdEpt, a courseware that IBPAP requires its employees to use, into the curriculum of courses in FEU Diliman.

“With this alliance, we aim to foster deeper understanding of the BPO sector’s operations and labor demands and at the same time, the academe’s needs and goals,” said Bautista. “This partnership is a first-of-its-kind, and we hope that this will inspire similar tie-ups within the BPO and academic community to address the industry’s employment demands and enhance the learning experience of students.”