PH upskilling program needed to address IT-BPM talent crisis
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Local industry groups believe that a national talent upskilling program is needed to address the lack of qualified workers in the Information Technology And Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry.
IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) President Jack Madrid said that an IT-BPM online talent hub and early-stage interventions are needed to improve the employability of senior high school and college graduates.
Madrid revealed that IBPAP has its Skills Progression Program — made in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) — to introduce training programs designed by the IT-BPM sector into the curriculum of higher education institutions.
IBPAP also opened an IT-BPM talent hub where organizations can post their information and job openings, conduct screening processes and engage with potential talent.
“These interventions are meant to ensure that the Filipino talent has the right mix of skills needed to thrive in the IT-BPM industry as it continues to evolve because of new technologies and innovations such as AI, machine learning, and intelligent automation,” Madrid stated.
Meanwhile, Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) Managing Director Rosario Cajucom-Bradbury revealed that there had been discussions involving the IT-BPM industry, government agencies, and academe to update the curriculum to boost the employability of graduates.
Cajucom-Bradbury said that these talks could help increase the ability of the Philippines to “supply the demand for the right talents to the rapid growth of the IT-BPM industry.”
She added that upskilling and re-skilling investments from several IT-BPM companies are essential to ensure workers have the critical skills needed for the future “beyond what artificial intelligence (AI) can do.”
Under the Philippine IT-BPM Industry Roadmap 2028, the sector aims to generate $59 billion in revenues and create 1.1 million new jobs by 2028.
