Call Centers and the Philippines
After reading about an Inquirer.net article describing the prospects for IT projects in the country, I realized that the Philippines is steadly (and as predicted) becoming one of the preferred destinations for call center work in the world. This is likely because our workforce has the requisite language skills and is culturally compatible with our target markets.
Information and communication technology-related projects continue to boost investment inflows as the Philippine Economic Zone Authority reported that since the start of the year, it has approved tax perks for 23 projects worth P2.36 billion. Data from Peza show that the approved projects included P457.8 million worth of information technology-related ventures. These include five projects that are expected to create 2,021 new jobs when fully operational. In total, the 23 projects are expected to create 2,970 new jobs and earn about $65.94 million a year in export sales.
So why not move into other areas of the BPO space? This is just the net increase in jobs and it seems like a small number (2,970 new jobs). This may point to another potential problem we need to address quickly - the Labor Pool. Currently, the country probably has more than enough people to fullfill the requirements of the existing IT locators and businesses. However, as this continues to grow (or as more BPO-like work comes in), we should also ensure a continuous supply of necessary IT talent. Employers must now start looking at initiating programs for students to enable themselves to better prepare for a possible work life in this industry. They should be more than just consumers of IT talent. Sustainability is key.
