Quality English Speakers Needed To Grow Philippine Contact Center Industry

Ask any contact center HR manager what keeps them up at night, and the answer will be the samefinding staff to fill seats. Figures released October 2007 by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) confirm a stark future unless the number of qualified English speakers increases rapidly within the contact and outsourcing industry.

The BPO industry currently employees approximately 230,000 people contributing US$9 billion to the local economy, based on a multiplier effect of 3 times revenue for all offshore and outsourcing of services (O&O). The industry is aiming for growth of 40% by 2010, but without a rapid increase in the number of employee candidates with English proficiency, it will struggle to even maintain its current level of growth.

"The challenge is twofold; developing better English skills amongst those who already work in the industry, or are very close to being near-hire candidates, as well as perfecting a method for generating new English language skills amongst a broader base of Filipinos", said Martin Conboy of Drake International. "The world is waiting to see if the Philippines can grasp this opportunity."

This means up-skilling alternative labor pools and supporting high school and university students through their language training in order to guarantee an ample supply of candidates for the foreseeable future, especially in Next Wave cities.

Overcoming the challenge means addressing the inherent disconnect between Filipinos who aspire to work in O & O centers and the employers who need them. This disconnect is skills based, and mainly involves English comprehension and fluency.

Employees with strong English skills deliver high value into the industry, even more so than offshore contracts, but in order to tap into the full growth potential of the industry a source of standardised English training guaranteeing results is required. This training must be the equalizer that is accessible to Filipinos, no matter where they live, and conveniently available at any time of day or night.

Elsewhere in the world, online language training has been helping to develop a ready stream of proficient English speakers, and the technology to achieve this is now available in the Philippines.

Englishlink (http://www.englishlink.com/) , owned by Drake Training Systems Limited (DTSL), is the world's first fully video-streamed online English school. Build by qualified and experienced English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, the lessons are guaranteed to get results. Through guided teacher-led classes, users develop the skills needed to increase fluency and develop confidence in English-speaking situations.

According to Lesley Rogan, creator of Englishlink: " I have spent quite a bit of time in Manila, and I see great potential in many Filipinos who would not be considered near-hires. With our guidance, and dedicated work on their part, we can help them get the jobs they dream of having, while working with industry to stay on course with the 2010 growth vision."

DTSL and Philippine partners BPAP (http://www.bpap.org/bpap/index.asp), Netopia (http://www.netopia.ph/), and LoadCentral (http://www.loadcentral.com.ph/) will be hosting two informative seminars entitled YOUR FUTURE - YOUR CALL in Manila on April 23 and 25. Call Center authority and guest speaker Martin Conboy of Drake International will share insights on the future of the contact center / BPO sunrise industry, and reveal the international perception of what the Philippines offers. For further information on the events, please contact events@englishlink.com.

Media and Interview Inquiries: media@englishlink.com

About Drake Training Systems Limited

Drake Training Systems Limited (DTSL) delivers Englishlink, Internet-based English as a Second Language training program (http://www.englishlink.com). DTSL's Englishlink delivers innovative and convenient online English training to anyone in the world with good broadband access. The program provides access to high quality, but affordable, online English classes (http://www.englishlink.com/) delivered by native-speaker 'video' teachers.

Quality English Speakers Needed To Grow Philippine Contact Center Industry

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Quality English Speakers Needed To Grow Philippine Contact Center Industry

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