042006: Call center staff trained to be entrepreneurs

i.t. matters
Thursday April 20, 2006 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

News

Call center staff trained to be entrepreneurs

Davao City -- A call center training center is partnering with a US-based foundation to train applicants who might even eventually set up their own centers.

Joji Ilagan-Bian, JIB e-Academy president, said her company is partnering with the John F. Kennedy Center for the implementation of the project which will not only train applicants on English proficiency but also how to become entrepreneurs.

"Our philosophy is that we train them, we employ them and they eventually become entrepreneurs," Ms. Bian said.

The John F. Kennedy Center will also help her company in marketing in the US since some companies in the US are looking for small call centers for their needs, she added.

Opening on May 15, the e-Academy will serve as the training center for call center agents, and those who will finish their course will be employed in a call center which Ms. Bian is also setting up. At the start, Ms. Bian said she is just eyeing 20 seats but she envisions this to grow to 200 seats in the next six months.

"Our concept is we will sell the idea that even SMEs (small- and medium-scale enterprises) can become call centers. The trainees can even pool their resources and set up their call centers with at least four seats," she said.

Part of the concept is for Ms. Bian's company to host smaller call centers. -- C. Q. Francisco