110206: STI, eTelecare to develop course for call-center agents

 

By Honey Madrilejos-Reyes
Reporter

THE Philippines’ largest operator of information and communication technology (ICT)-centered colleges, STI, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the US-based eTelecare Global Solutions Inc. for the development of a curriculum and courseware for call-center agents.
           
Under the MOU, eTelecare will assist STI in developing the course by sharing industry knowledge and collaborating on training materials and content.
           
The call-center company will also train and certify 10 STI trainers, who meet its trainers’ profile and standard of qualifications, skills and competencies. The STI-eTelecare call-center agent course will be offered at selected STI schools nationwide.
           
STI has more than 100 campuses, offering IT and IT-enhanced programs in the fields of education, engineering, healthcare and business.
           
eTelecare, on the other hand, outsources contact center operations for leading companies in the financial, high technology, telecommunications, healthcare and other sectors. It has 11 call centers in the US and the Philippines, employing more than 7,000 people.
           
“We are confident that this partnership will help enhance the students’ global competitiveness as we match their skills with our standards for quality-driven services,” said Vivek Padmanabhan, eTelecare’s vice president for global shared services.
           
STI, for its part, said the partnership is part of STI’s strategy to take advantage of the growing business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.
           
“Prospects for the call-center industry in the country remain bright as demand for BPOs continue to increase. More importantly, the tie-up signifies STI’s firm commitment towards its Enrollment-to-Employment System (E2E),” said STI president and chief executive officer Monico Jacob.
           
The E2E System of STI provides students not only with education but job placement assistance as well. 
           
Estimates made by the Call Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) indicated there are about 90 call centers in the country, collectively employing around 100,000 people. The Philippines is ranked third in the world for top BPO destinations, according to NeoIT’s 2005 Mapping Offshore Markets Update.
           
The BPO industry continues to be one of the prime movers of the Philippine economy, having generated $2.4 billion in 2005 and employing some 160,000 workers.

Business Mirror
November 2, 2006
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/comp01.php