Cebu needs training course to attract KPO investments

CEBU, Philippines - As Cebu positions itself as a preferred Knowledge-Process Outsourcing (KPO) market, it needs to develop more training programs to develop highly skilled outsourcing manpower, apart from honing the English proficiency capabilities.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) chairman for BPO-IT committee Jerry Rapes said that, now more than ever, Cebu has to double its efforts to provide more trainings for the KPO skilled workers to sustain the huge projected growth.

Although the KPO sector is not that mature yet to overtake the volume demand of voice-related services like call centers, as early as now Cebu has to brace itself and prepare for the anticipated growth of KPO and other high value related investments.

Currently, of the total 500 thousand to 600 thousand BPO-IT sector employment, about 75 percent is into the voice-related services.

In the next few years though, specifically in Cebu, KPO demand skills is expected to rise. In fact, Cebu now is the preferred choice of big KPO multinational companies, such as Wipro, Lexmark, NEC, among others.

Despite the active stance of Cebu BPO-IT stakeholders in further promoting the industry, Rapes said there are more things to be done, and providing more KPO related training is very vital to the growth of the industry in the next few years.

Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP) chairman Bong Borja said earlier that Cebu could leverage on attracting this high-level outsourcing service.

Borja said although the voice-service will still continue to grow in the next few years, despite the threat of the current US Bill against outsourcing, he said the capability of Cebu for huge KPO market will further boost the employment generation, and investment revenue for the province.

KPO is an emerging segment in the outsourcing sector that the Philippines has yet to penetrate. Currently, this market is dominated by India.

This middle and higher level outsourcing services will need professionals such as financial analysts, people who have degree and masters in human resource management, accountants, among others.

“These are the very expensive or high-paying type of outsourcing. I believe we have the talents and raw ingredients to attract the KPO market,” Borja said.

In October last year, BPO company Aegis PeopleSupport announced its interest to put up Aegis Global Academy in Cebu.

This plan is seen to boost the supply of KPO skilled workers in Cebu.

Aegis PeopleSupport is currently negotiating with the Cebu City government for the realization of this plan, as it is eyeing to put the facility at the South Road Properties.

In 2010, the Cebu City government turned over a five-hectare property which is equivalent to P500 million worth of property within SRP to the University of the Philippines-Cebu to establish the MBA school.

Based on the initial plan, UP is allowed to get industry partners to invest for the facility in the next three years. (FREEMAN)