Improve Preparedness of College Graduates for BPO Subsectors, Urged the BOI

Based on the initial findings of a survey conducted by the Board of Investments (BOI) from November to January, a significant number of college graduates have been found to be ill-prepared in specific subsectors of the booming business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. An issue that essentially needs to be addressed by both the private sector as well as the academe.

“Notably, the preparedness of graduates for the animation, game development, software industry, and health information management sectors is low,” the BOI elaborated. The report, dubbed the National Skills Mapping Survey, is an initiative of the agency in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd).

The National Skills Mapping Survey is geared to pinpoint the human resource development needs, particularly of the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry and its subsectors in an effort to “develop work-ready and globally competitive workers.” The initial results were presented by Ana Maria Bongato, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines’ (IBPAP) former executive director of Talent Development.

“We have to work faster and together. Companies must continue to intervene to prepare new hires for actual work to be done,” explained Bongato. The survey hopes to stand as a guide for the education sector to upgrade the skill set of students to promote the growth of the IT-BPM industry. A review of the existing programs of various government agencies was, likewise, encouraged.

“We hope to address the present and anticipate the future talent requirements of the country’s emerging industries and develop a more relevant, responsive, resilient, and sustainable talent pipeline,” added BOI Executive Director Ma. Corazon Dichosa. “Our young and educated population is the most important value proposition that makes the Philippines more attractive to foreign investors and we intend consistently maintain this profile.”

Source: Inquirer