Contact center group warns K-12 graduates may be unprepared for BPO jobs

The Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) has raised concerns that senior high school graduates under the K-12 curriculum may lack the necessary skills and competencies to join the country’s business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. 

During a press briefing on May 21 in Makati City, CCAP President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MicroSourcing, Haidee Enriquez, explained how new graduates might be unready for BPO jobs and how the education system can adapt to artificial intelligence in business. 

“I’ll be very direct. Not enough, they are not yet ready,” she said.

Enriquez stressed the need to revise the curriculum to include more industry immersion programs and relevant competencies aligned with the Philippine Skills Framework for the IT-BPM sector.

“The senior HS curriculum needs to be enhanced or revised to incorporate more industry immersion/OJT and industry-relevant content. We have published the Philippine Skills Framework for the IT-BPM industry, so the competencies outlined there should be incorporated in the design of the senior high school tracks”, she added. 

Enriquez also stated that the existing talent and skills gap affects the BPO industry’s ability to attract new clients in an increasingly competitive global market. 

Meanwhile, CCAP Board Director and Concentrix Vice President Tonichi Achurra Parekh cited that the level of skill of workers and students may vary, and it is about the ability to learn as a way of entering the BPO industry. 

“We have a (really) different generation of workers and students going into a different generation of workers. Their levels may be different from what we truly assess because of the technology available to them. It is indeed about their ability to learn,” Parekh remarked.

Despite these challenges, Enriquez expressed optimism about the industry's growth, noting the Philippines' continued leadership in digital consumer experience and healthcare services as she added that the BPO sector is growing at a rate of 5 to 7 percent annually.