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Gov’t Training Personnel for BPO Sector

By: , January 19, 2018

The Key Point:

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says greater focus is being placed on the training of persons for the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, particularly for higher-end activities and high-value positions.
Gov’t Training Personnel for BPO Sector
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz (second left), cuts the ribbon to officially open the ibex headquarters for the Caribbean and Central America located at the Digicel Building, 14 Ocean Boulevard, downtown Kingston on January 17. Looking on (from left) are President and Chief Executive Officer, ibex, Bob Dechant; President, JAMPRO, Diane Edwards; and Managing Director, Development Bank of Jamaica Limited, Milverton Reynolds.

The Facts

  • Additionally, he said, programmes have been developed by the HEART Trust with the aid of operators within the sector, for BPO-related courses, on-the-job management training, international accreditation of courses and apprenticeship programmes.
  • In the meantime, Minister Vaz said the next steps for the BPO sector include areas such as shared services, legal process outsourcing (LPO), and medical process outsourcing (MPO).

The Full Story

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says greater focus is being placed on the training of persons for the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, particularly for higher-end activities and high-value positions.

He informed that the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), through its free zones, will be working closely with the HEART Trust/NTA and the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) to develop an incubator geared towards knowledge services and technology-type work.

Additionally, he said, programmes have been developed by the HEART Trust with the aid of operators within the sector, for BPO-related courses, on-the-job management training, international accreditation of courses and apprenticeship programmes.

He noted that the Port Authority has also supported and participated in activities to create a skills development programme to support global services in Jamaica.

This will be funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and will see the implementation of a finishing school, among other things, to improve employability gaps.

“We have begun to diversify the type of work performed in Jamaica to create more opportunities for tertiary graduates,” Minister Vaz said.

He was speaking at the opening of the ibex headquarters for the Caribbean and Central America located in the Digicel Building, 14 Ocean Boulevard in downtown Kingston on January 17.

In the meantime, Minister Vaz said the next steps for the BPO sector include areas such as shared services, legal process outsourcing (LPO), and medical process outsourcing (MPO).

“We have actively engaged several international shared-services operators and LPO operators in an effort to get them to expand to Jamaica,” he said.
He informed that JAMPRO has engaged local universities and key stakeholders in a bid to provide details on higher-level jobs available to graduates in the new areas.

“The sky is the limit for the BPO sector, and we intend to capitalise on every aspect of this lucrative industry for the benefit of Jamaica and Jamaicans,” Minister Vaz declared.

Ibex, headquartered in Washington DC, USA, delivers onshore, nearshore and offshore BPO solutions in seven countries across 26 sites, maintaining a network of more than 17,000 employees.

In 2016, ibex opened its Portmore location, which has since been expanded by an additional 23,000 square feet. The company continues to work towards achieving its goal of employing 5,000 persons in Jamaica in the long-term.

The Jamaica BPO industry currently stands at approximately 25,000 full-time employees.

Last Updated: January 19, 2018

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