Rise in BPO jobs prods school to offer IT, accountancy courses

MANILA, Philippines - The ever-increasing number of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms and their rising demand for accountants and information technology (IT) professionals for their backroom operations have inspired a nursing and tourism school in Tagaytay City to expand its curriculum to provide the academic requirements.

Known for its high 86-percent passing rate in B.S. Nursing board exam and 100 percent in the caregiver national competency exam, Olivarez College Tagaytay is now also offering bachelor of science degrees in accountancy and IT.

“These new courses (I.T. and accountancy) stem from the stable demand for graduates in these fields, whether in the Philippines or abroad, especially in the high-paying backroom operations of BPO companies,” said operations manager Ephel Olivarez of Olivarez College Tagaytay.

Fortunately for high school graduates aspiring to become accountants and I.T. professionals, the school is not increasing its tuition fees, but even offering a 30-percent discount for freshmen and transferees who will pass its entrance exam, which is free and administered Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Aside from I.T. and accountancy, the Olivarez College Tagaytay offers courses in BS Nursing, BS Business Administration major in marketing management, Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED), and ladderized BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM). At least 86 percent of the graduates of BS Nursing and 75 percent of BEED pass their respective national licensure exams.

The school also offers two-year computer technician and six-month caregiver courses, both posting 100 percent passing rate in national competency exams.

The students in these courses benefit a lot from the school’s highly competent college faculty, industry-based curricula, state-of-the-art facilities, clean, green and peaceful ambiance, and constantly cool and refreshing climate, all contributing to its ideal environment for learning, which includes well-equipped dormitories nearby.

The school’s facilities include the 1,000-sqm internet-linked library, computer laboratory, speech lab, classroom with multimedia, physics, chemistry and anatomy laboratories, mock HRM hotel, nursing arts lab, BSBA and BEED laboratories, computer technician lab, PE room, college gymnasium with four taraflex badminton courts and a basketball court, outdoor basketball and tennis courts, and an auditorium with a 600-seat amphitheater and a 1,000-seat convention center that is bigger than the Tagaytay International Convention Center.