Industry-trained teachers to enhance business, IT learning

(Manila, Philippines, May 28, 2013) — This school year, college professors and instructors from select state universities and colleges (SUCs) will be teaching the Service Management Program (SMP) as part of industry-government efforts to enhance students’ knowledge and training in the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry.

Developed by the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) and approved by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), SMP is a specialized 21-unit minor course for students pursuing a degree in business administration or information technology in SUCs located in the Next Wave Cities™. An important component of SMP is “Train the Teachers” or T3.

A total of 89 faculty members from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Laguna State Polytechnic University, and Cavite State University completed the initial T3 batch. All of them are now better equipped to teach subjects such as business communication, BPO Fundamentals 101 and 102, computer literacy, service culture, and systems thinking. Language proficiency training was also included to strengthen the English fluency of the country’s future IT-BPM workforce.

“The country’s edge is our people,” said Jomari Mercado, IBPAP president and CEO. “We say we produce around 450,000 graduates every year, but when they walk through our doors, only 10 out of 100 are hired. To address the competencies lacking in our graduates, the industry has partnered with the academe and CHED to create the Service Management Program.”

Earlier this year, CHED issued a memorandum allocating P125 million for developing the components of SMP, thanks to the success of the IBPAP’s initial SMP pilot run in 2012. The pilot program was conducted in the University of Makati, Jose Rizal University and the Lyceum of the Philippines, Laguna and Asia Pacific College. The pilot was supported by volunteers from IT-BPM firms such as Accenture, Access Worldwide, Aegis People Support, Arvato, Cognizant, Dell, General Electric (GE), HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines) Inc., Ingram Micro, Microsourcing and VXi Global Solutions, Inc., among others.

CHED representative Atty. Carmelita Yadao-Sison said that the government will continue to support IBPAP throughout the program duration. To date, there are 17 partner SUCs under the program.

“Because of the drive and the passion IBPAP has shown over the years in wanting to implement this project, we at CHED could do no less but to support it. By investing in the training of our teachers, we can surely reap the rewards by tenfold,” said Sison. “Our industry is not just about service, there’s also quality. Through a more knowledgeable workforce, we can create a clearer differentiation of why our people should be preferred over other service providers abroad.”

According to Penny Bongato, IBPAP executive director for Talent Development, SMP was designed to help achieve the industry’s goal of employing 1.3 million skilled and competent IT-BPM employees by 2016. “The Philippines is now one of the top players in the global IT-BPM industry. To maintain this position, however, we must go a step further and create a highly qualified and IT-adept pool of human resource. With SMP, we are closer to strengthening our industry’s marketability,” she said.

The recently concluded T3 program was conducted by head trainers from Aegis People Support. On their final training day, the teachers completed a half-day immersion in various IT-BPM organizations including GenPact, IBM, Sitel, Stream, Sutherland, Sykes, and WNS (Holdings) Limited.

“Sutherland knows the importance of this collaboration with IBPAP and the academe to increase talent options available in the industry,” says AJ Enriquez, VP and country head of Sutherland Philippines. “Sutherland plays a key role in the development and advancement of the Filipino talent, especially in the Next Wave Cities™ through its College Connect program.”

During the training, the teachers gained first-hand experience in taking the industry’s Global Competitiveness Assessment Tool (GCAT). GCAT is a national standardized testing program that assesses an applicant’s readiness and qualification for a career in IT-BPM.

Dr. Melinda De Guzman, a professor from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, participated in the 16-day training for the BPO 101-102 track. “It was a great opportunity to be a part of this training. Before, I didn’t have much knowledge in outsourcing aside from what I’ve read in the newspapers. Attending the training gave me a chance to learn more about the different sectors and many career possibilities in this field,” said De Guzman.

(Front row) Gillian Virata, IBPAP Senior Executive Director; Atty. Carmelita Yadao-Sison, MNSA, PhD, director III, CHED Representative; Benedict Hernandez, CCAP president; Penny Bongato, IBPAP Executive Director for Talent Development; and teachers from select state universities and colleges who underwent the Train the Teachers (T3) program’s 16-day training for the BPO 101-102 track.

About the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP)
The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) is the enabling association for the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry in the Philippines. IBPAP serves as the one-stop information and advocacy gateway for the industry. With approximately 300 industry and support-industry members, including five associations—the Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc., Contact Center Association of the Philippines, Game Developers Association of the Philippines, Healthcare Information Management Outsourcing Association of the Philippines, and Philippine Software Industry Association—IBPAP plays a pivotal role in sustaining rapid growth of the IT-BPM and GIC industry by working to ensure an enduring supply of high-quality labor, supporting service innovation, and providing country visibility.

IBPAP assists investors in setting up operations easily and quickly in the Philippines. Relevant research, introductions to key government and industry officials, and a series of briefings at each step of the investment process ensure a seamless development process. On-going support is provided through a wide variety of initiatives, including programs for HR development, business development, and on-going knowledge sharing and networking opportunities.