Leyte students told to brace for contact center jobs

PALO, Leyte, Nov. 15 (PNA) -– An industry official urged students here to prepare for the growing demand of workers in the Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector in the country.

Jonathan de Luzuriaga, president of the Philippine Software Industry Association, said that under the 2016 to 2022 roadmap, the industry needs about 654,000 additional jobs from the current 1.1 million employed in IT-BPM firms.

The industry, according to de Luzuriaga, is one of the country’s fastest growing and will produce USD38.9 billion income to Filipinos after six years.

“We are technically overtaking the remittances of Overseas Filipino Workers by 2022. Technology will have a huge part of our future, thus we encourage young Filipinos, especially the fresh graduates to be part of digital Philippines and to join the industry,” de Luzuriaga told reporters on Tuesday.

He explained that the industry's partnership with the government is as significant as the partnership in schools. “Low skilled graduates from schools will be trained to be high-skilled.”

“Human capital is very important. The IT BPM industry is anchored in the strength of the Philippines talent. We must establish a strong workplace and the industry is going to grow with government's support,” the official added.

Industry officials have been going around the country to encourage provinces to prepare for expansion of IT-BPM investments in the country.

Under the new roadmap, the industry is expected to expand outside Metro Manila, providing 500,000 jobs, representing 70 percent of total IT-BPM workers in the country after six years.

He also urged the youth to learn new technologies with the growing share of non-contact center jobs in the jobs.

In the past, contact centers accounted for 80 percent of jobs in the information and communication technology industry, but in 2022, it will be reduced to 63 percent with the growth of other segments.

These include software management; health care information, game development, animation, finance and accounting. (PNA)

LAP/Sarwell Q. Meniano with Yazmin Ellen C. Espina (OJT)