17 state universities and colleges in the Philippines will soon start teaching a course that will help students prepare themselves for their future career in the BPO industry.
According to ABS-CBN, the state universities and colleges listed below will start offering the course Minor in Service Management this school year 2014-2015 with the help of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP). The course has 21 units and 5 subjects which includes English Proficiency and Service Culture.
1. Pangasinan State University
2. Cavite State University
3, Laguna State Polytechnic University
4. West Visayas State University
5. Batangas State University
6. Carlos Hilado Memorial State College
7. Negros Oriental State University
8. Wester Visayas College of Science and Technology
9. University of Southeast Philippines
10. Benguet State University
11. Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University
12. Tarlac State University
13. Bulacan State University
14. Technological University of the Philippines
15. Philippine Normal University
16. Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College
17. Polytechnic University of the Philippines
More than 70,000 positions are being offered by the BPO industry in the Philippines every year. Last month, JobStreet listed the Call Center / IT-Enabled Services / BPO industry as one of its top high-paying jobs for fresh graduates in the country.
{ABS-CBN}
It’s great that you are getting thoughts from this piece of writing as well
as from our dialogue made at this place.
Sa mga taong maliit ang tingin sa BPO industry. Masasabi ko eh…
Kung maliitin niyo ito, subukan niyo? Mag apply kayo, matangap ka kaya? Baka interview palang eh bagsak ka na. At kung sakaling matangap ka ng HR recruitment, makapasa ka kaya ng training? Baka di ka rin pumasa? At kung pumasa ka sa training, ma CERTIFY ka kaya at ma ipasa mo requirements ng international clients? At kung sakaling makapasa ka nga, tatagal ka ba? malamang di mo matapos ang kontrata mo at wala pang 6 months eh suko ka na.
Wag maliitin at itong propesyon na ito ay isang magandang career na pwedeng pag sikapan. 1999 palang nasa BPO na ako. Oo I’m one of the pioneers at that time. Was able to buy a condo unit in Pasig, was able to buy 2 cars, was able to start a small business (food cart). I married my wife in which is my colleague, yes, she also works in the same company. We ave a family now with 1 kid. Eats 4 times a day, have more than any material stuff we can buy and have our son study in a private school.
Not to shabby eh?
Bottomline:
BPO industry should be nothing more than a stepping stone to pursue what you really want to do in life.
@carloxy
Ang dami mong sinabi pero hindi mo naintindihan yung comment ko. Hindi mo naintindihan kung ano ang gusto kong iparating. Unawain mo, pagisipan mo, akala ko ba magaling kayo sa critical thinking?(nagassume na rin ako since you act like one)
Sabi na nga ba, kaya ayaw kong makisali sa mga ganitong usapan ang daming bobo na kagaya mo.. Last comment ko na to at di na babalik pa ayokong mahawa sa kabobohan mo. Haha
Not quite. I can see how important communication and critical thinking skills are in this line of work. It’s not easy instructing an irate customer over the phone on how to troubleshoot a complex electronic system. Nevertheless, it disappoints me that the government, and even our own graduates, seem content to fill this niche. While our twenty-somethings train to provide after-sales and customer service, their Korean and Japanese and American counterparts don’t even deign to do so. They develop and create these complex electronic systems that Filipinos (and Indian perhaps) only seem fit too troubleshoot.
Service sector industries do not have a lasting impact on the wealth of a nation. Yes, I study developmental economics in my master’s degree, so I can say that with some measure of certainty. Unfortunately, this big picture is lost to the legion of jobless graduates we produce yearly, who are (despite their self-assurances to the contrary) considering a career in the BPO industry more out of circumstance than out of choice.
I think we’re stereotyping BPO employees as just ‘call center agents’ only
There are other BPO jobs out there – that has pays very well and with great benefits, also.
And I don’t think it’s the ‘easy way’ because you have to go through a lot (if you’re rooting for a great company) to get hired.
Just my two cents guys.
Cheers! ^_^
A dead end course leads to a dead end job….. Formulating a course, 15 years in the making!? I wonder if these beings who made this course/s, were “extremely high” at that time……… When A.I. takes over this industry 20 years from now, the one question that will come into mind, “Is it all worth it?”
buti na lang the The Ateneo produces smart graduates. di na kailangan maging katulad ng iba with low paying jobs. at pag kami nakatapos, meron na kaming magandang job offer after.
Anung student number mo aber?
Sadly, people might be missing the big picture here. I have nothing against the BPO industry, and I do not demean these professionals in any way. However, the ugly truth is that the BPO industry is merely a lucrative stop-gap measure. The fact the public universities now offer courses for this career merely displays how wrongly college education is viewed in this country; it is not seen as an avenue for self-actualization or national development, but as a mere job prerequisite. We may be losing our local counterparts of Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to an industry that serves no developmental potential in and of itself. And no, the economic gains and GDP contribution of the BPO industry don’t really count, as any student of developmental economics would surely know.
Nevertheless, we can hardly blame the students or the graduates for the lack of opportunities made available to them by the government and the corporate sector. The formalization of BPO education just seems to be a huge concession of responsibility by the government – an admission of its incapability in providing our graduates with the opportunity to contribute in nation-building.
amen. exactly my point.
You can see it two ways:
1) More Opportunities for those who would never had the opportunity to have an edge in the BPO Industry – which for me is intended for those who may not have the opportunity to enroll for more “defined” courses – at least may option ang tao na makakuha ng degree (not to mention English proficiency)
or
2) Archie’s case – to glorify the “call center agent” (in which I don’t mean to ridicule/discriminate) – pero nagmumukhang instead of purusing the Pinoy to drive harder/better, we’re giving them the option to take a simple course and a simple route. (easy-way-out)
I get Archie’s point – and it’s valid to a certain degree but I also acknowledge the benefits for having a “BPO-Related” Degree. This is not really a step-forward but it’s a way to adjust to the demands of the industry.
People should realize the term ‘BPO’ does not only equate to call center agents. BPO covers almost all industries and there are so many possibilities within it. (ex. healthcare, finance and accounting, industry specific, etc.)
I personally think that this is a good opportunity for everyone, considering the poor quality of education that results to people going to TESDA.
It’s about time. To improve the quality of the services of these companies na rin (Nakakadisappoint minsan masyado ang mga customer service ng ibang companies. Napaka unprofessional at napakabastos. It’s like they lack training).
I think mas dadami ang investors sa country natin pag ganito.
It would be much easier for the Philippines to position itself as one of the biggest capital (in SouthEast Asia, or even the whole of Asia) for highly competent, English speaking BPO employees thus attracting more companies to invest in our country.
Hopefully, this would pave the way for higher salaries for BPO employees rin.
True. But in Call Centers, the one thing that I hate the most is the Metric (unforgiving and zero tolerance) system; & there’s nothing I can do about it! I would want to apply again, but it would be the same result. The U.S. began this type of job way back in the 70 – 80’s. I don’t rely on this industry much because, this industry is very similar to the Tower of Babylon! Scary isn’t it? But that’s reality & that’s something that the Philippines has to overcome.
@archie-
Hindi ko ugaling magcomment sa mga ganitong posts. Ayokong madamay sa kabobohan ng mga taong kagaya mo. Mali ka na agad nung nag assume kang hindi gumagamit ng critical thinking at specialization sa field na to. Kung inaakala mong ang call center ay pagkabisado lang ng script at pagsagot sa tawag.. bro, i have bad news for you. Sabi nga ni mukamo “Typical remark of an ignoramus of the industry.” Nasubukan mo na bang magtest ng isa circuit na hindi magdodown yung ibang circuits na katabi nito? alam mo ba magbura ng flowpoints sa flashwave 9500? kaya mo gumagawa ng manual built na test PVC? kaya mong i-override yung errors na nilalabas ng system para lang matapos yung testing mo? I bet you don’t..coz you have no fucking idea kung anu tong mga sinasabi ko. BPO is not just about answering phone calls and knowing how to handle an irate customer, I suggest you better think before you talk.
And who are you to say that we don’t like/love what we do?
@duhast
lemme guess, lahat yang sinabi mo eh jan mo nalang natutunan? malamang may training kayu eh.. gaano mo katagal bago nagawa yan? kahit ung basic lang nyan? 1 month? 2 months? tangalin ka jan kunyari, ilipat ka kunyari ng credit card account, eh di nga nga ka na.. back to zero ka na, so profesional ka sa anung bagay? sa wala.. eh ang engr ilipat mo ng ibang kumpanya, engr pa rin na nakabackup na experience. Malamang isa ka sa mga students na walang pangarap na trabaho noh o career, kasi wala namang nangarap na maging call center agent pagkagraduate ng college.. o kaya sobrang takot habulin ung dream job kasi feeling nya di kaya.. pera pera nalang ba talaga ang usapan dito? wala ba kayung self fulfillment na naabot nyo ung pangarap nyong career?
taga verizon ka brother no? flashwave,8860 juniper, wahaha. I’m from Sykes.those are the times.. well maganda naman talaga ang backoffice sa BPO kasi malayo sa typical set-up ng callcenter. pero still, sana wag kalimutan ng kabataan yung nation-building at social relevance aspect ng educational system. hindi lang may mairaos sa pangaraw araw. dapat i encourage natin sila ng mangarap ng mataas, gano pa to kahirap.
I am working as IT in BPO for several years since 2008, di porket callcenter agent eh mamaliitin na agad, maraming opportunities for higher position internally sa BPO at priority nila ung nasa loob. Maraming activities din like sports and etc. Nasa sa inyo yan kung mag papa impluwensya ka sa sigarilyo at ibang acts na makaka sira ng health nyo. May nakakuentuhan akong callcenter agent na IT grad, pinasok nya yun kasi matinding competition sa IT, kaya dun sya pinulot ang mga kacompetensya nya na mga IT nung nag apply sya is mga may mga certifications at license sa IT. Then ang sabi nya is stepping stone nya yun callcenter para makapag train sa labas para magamit ang IT in the future. Don’t think negative guys!
You’re right dude! Thumbs Up!
Dapat i offer to ng mga Baranggay Colleges para lahat ng mamamayan makinabang hindi lang sa mga may pang bayad… kung in the future magkakaroon ng Baranggay Colleges. Polytechnic University of the Philippines ay isang eskwelahan kahit sabihin natin napaka mura ang matricula nila marami sa kanila ay galing pa rin sa middle class kase hindi ka naman maka produce ng matatalinong istudyante kung kanin at asin lang ang ulam mo sa araw-araw. sana naman babasa ito ng magiging presidente ng pilipinas. ? ?? ? ???
hinde ang dapat tawag diyan Bachelor of Arts in Business Process Outsourcing or Bachelor of Science in Contact Center Administration.ewan ko sa kanila kung anong gusto nilang tawag sa course na ‘to para pagka gradwet meron na silang trabaho ka agad hindi na nila kailangan mag apply pa since course naman nila ito hindi ba.
ilang years kana sa BPO? ako mag 7 na. csr, tsr, backoffice, workforce.. ang dami ko nang naikutang post. at ito ang masasabi ko, napa dynamic ng industry na yan. hindi mo malaman kong anong magfafall down na tamang description sa mga professionals dyan. ano BPO specialist? sa IT side marami,pero sa mga non-IT blurred… iba ibang account, iba ibang nature ng trabaho. KAYA nga hindi na kailangan ng specific course sa industry na yan, kahit HS grad kaya. at ilang nurses, teachers at iba pa ang na tempt mag shift sa trabahong to dahil sa kapabayaan ng government?? ang laki ng respeto ko sa callcenter industry dahil dito nakapagaral ako at nakatuloy sa law school, pero to see it as bread and butter of the country is a self-inflicting damage sa bansa no. BRAIN DRAIN, hindi alam ng tao kung ano function nila sa society, basta may maiuwi lang na pera, to think na sobrang daming matalino at magaling sa CC. Modern slavery ika nga. Balancing of interest ang kailangan, hindi yung hinaHYPE at overestimate ang call center work.
Malungkot kayo kung ang Big 4 universities ang mag-offer ng BPO courses. Tingnan nyo yung listahan, puro public schools. Trabaho ng government na i-train ang citizens nila.
Parang sa trend ng comments and tono ng article is that they are pertaining to BPOs being the call centers. Let me inform the others na may BPO din po para sa mga other specialization like telecom, health and even law. The companies that seek those specialists were accenture, wipro, tieto (to where I belong currently), and the like. I am a telecom engineer working for a Telco client in EU and luckily day shift lang and weekend work is very optional. Nung una kala ko masasayang ang pinag-aralan ko sa engineering pero hindi. Wala man ako sa field, grabe naman sa critical thinking ang ginagamit ko.
For me I suggest na magkaroon na ng mga elective subjects sa college about off-shore industries (process outsource as they call it). As I see it, BPOs are here to stay and we must just welcome them because practically, Di man permanent, but real solution ang dala nila. :-)
As if naman isasara ang medical, engineering, and law schools at lahat ng paaralan eh BPO nalang ang course na io-offer. Oh cmon. Dagdag course lang ang ginawa. Kapag may balitang lumabas eh palagi nalang akala yun lang ang nangyari sa isang buong araw.
Bachelor of Science/Arts in Business Process Outsourcing with minors in Articulation…
Do the classes start at night?
Yup! May morning, mid at graveyard shift. Para ma accomodate ng school lhat interested sa minor course at para ma practice na din sila sa buhay ng call center. :-P
for some reason nalungkot ako dito. realistically wala na talagang mahanap na trabahong “decent” paying maliban sa BPO, pero this is some sort of tolerance sa part ng government. lalong lalakas ang brain drain dito sa atin. in long run, yung mga kabataan yun nalang ang iisiping kunin kasi ticket “kuno” sa financial stability, like what happened with IT and nursing.
I’ve been in the BPO industry but I just used it as a stepping stone for my law schooling. hindi totoo na wala na talagang available job, ang taas lang competition when it comes to qualification sa ibang industry, sabayan mo pa na tamad na magaral mga kabataan, meaning to really master a specialization.
Hahaha! Nakakatawa ka. Nalungkot ka sa balitang ito? As if naman magiging required for all high school students ang mag-take ng ganitong course. Aminin natin na PH is No.1 BPO provider in the world at hindi pa lahat ng BPO activities kaya natin i-offer dahil sa kawalan ng specific skills. Ano bang akala mo sa BPO eh call center kaagad? Research research din pag may time.
ilang years kana sa BPO? ako mag 7 na. csr, tsr, backoffice, workforce.. ang dami ko nang naikutang post. at ito ang masasabi ko, napa dynamic ng industry na yan. hindi mo malaman kong anong magfafall down na tamang description sa mga professionals dyan. ano BPO specialist? sa IT side marami,pero sa mga non-IT blurred… iba ibang account, iba ibang nature ng trabaho. KAYA nga hindi na kailangan ng specific course sa industry na yan, kahit HS grad kaya. at ilang nurses, teachers at iba pa ang na tempt mag shift sa trabahong to dahil sa kapabayaan ng government?? ang laki ng respeto ko sa callcenter industry dahil dito nakapagaral ako at nakatuloy sa law school, pero to see it as bread and butter of the country is a self-inflicting damage sa bansa no. BRAIN DRAIN, hindi alam ng tao kung ano function nila sa society, basta may maiuwi lang na pera, to think na sobrang daming matalino at magaling sa CC. Modern slavery ika nga. Balancing of interest ang kailangan, hindi yung hinaHYPE at overestimate ang call center work.
About 11yrs ago meron nang Call Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) at may ganyan na silang program dati. Di ko labg alam kung ano nangyari. May mga seminar-workshop pa na ginawa sa MIT sa makati para dyan.
contact center association of the Philippines pala. At Avaya training yung ginawa dati sa MIT
Sa K-12 isama yang course na yan para pagka graduate ng HS pwede na sa BPO.
@archie ano bang trabaho mo Koya? Nakasubok kana ba magapply sa BPO company? Critical Thinking and Specialization ba kamo? Handling an irate customer in phone isnt specialization and doesnt require critical thinking? Holy fuck you. We need to be MORE practical and realistic sa panahon ngayon. Engineer at Doctor ka nga. Tambay ka naman. Holyfuckyou!
ilang taon ka ba tatagal sa trabahong yan?
di ba ang iba dyan 6 months lang?
ang iba 2 years?, tapos? ano na? apply ulit?
tapos grave-yard shift ka pa, sabayan ng sigarilyo at kape.
siguro dapat idagdag na nila dyan ang para sa kukuha ng IELTS para mas mabuting preparation
pero iba pa rin kung may security of tenure ang trabaho mo.
Contractualization pa rin kasi ang problema dito
@archie haha masyado mo naman pinapahirap ang trabaho mo. Alam ko di madali work nyo pero wag naman masyadong ipagmalaking mahirap. kahit sinu kayang gawin yang sinasabi mo ni ako nga di matalino kaya ko yan eh – worked for an American Airline for 4 years. Phone lang minumura? chicken yan.. try mo kaya personal kang murahin at awayin dahil sa delayed bag or cancelled flight. Pero di ko makukumpara un sa work ng isang nurse, engr, programmer, etc. kasi kasing anung gawin ko di ko kayang gawin un, eh ang call center kahit bukas lang pwede eh ako magapply eh at malaki chance kong matangap eh sa mga binangit kong work, asa pa ako. haha
@totoybrown pala hahaha not archie :p
Wow anlalim mo naman, gumamit ka pa ng alias ng jologs na internet meme. Walang trabahong madali at walang trabahong hindi pinaghihirapan. Maging realistic din tayo, sino ba ang nagca-call center? Di ba yung mga taong gusto ng easy money at ayaw ng heavy responsibilities? Wag ka lang ma-late, kabisaduhin ang sasabihin at magtunog foreigner e ok na. Handling irate customers is just a basic skill, hindi yun superpowers na hindi kayang pag-aralan ng sinuman. Pero ang magkaroon ng mindset na ayaw mo ng mediocre job at gusto mong umasenso with your skill is a different story. Sure it’s about money and financial security pero gusto mo bang tumanda ka na wala kang naging accomplishment nung kabataan mo?
I was an employee for years, hindi ako nagreresign dahil mahal ko ang ginagawa ko and you know what’s funny? After makakuha ako ng sapat na experience and skills para maging independent businessman, saka dumating ang mas profitable income sa akin and I’m sure hindi ko makukuha ang extra knowledge na yun kung nagpakabulok ako at sinira ko ang health ko sa callcenter.
Hindi ako college graduate, hindi ako nakapagsuot ng toga pero I made it sure na magiging achiever ako in my own way.
“Congratulations, you’ve got this diploma as a certification na pwede ka nang mag-callcenter” ansagwa di ba? Where’s the pride for that? And magalit na kayo kung gusto ninyo pero kung gusto ninyong maging robot habambuhay, go ahead. Just make sure na hindi magagaya sa inyo ang mga anak ninyo na magkakaroon ng regret dahil namulat sa trabahong di nila gusto. Life is always hard, it’s up to you kung susuko ka kaagad sa financial problems or kung dodoblehin mo ang sipag mo with the things you love to do.
Holy fuck! Talaga bang yan na lang ang paraan para kumita sa atin? Paano na yung special skills ng mga Pilipino na hindi lang nadedevelop? Di na ba natin kayang makipagsabayan sa mga trabahong gumagamit ng critical thinking at specialization? Iba pa rin ang experience na nabibigay ng trabaho na gustong gawin ng tao…
Typical remark of an ignoramus of the industry. Dare you to survive even 1 day of training in the business. holyfuckyou!
You’re quite close minded. This is another opportunity sa mga Pinoy. Although with the enormous BPO industry surfacing, medyo talo pa rin ang employees due to graveyard na work which degrades a person’s health. It’s a good move to improve yung ibang tao. Please, open your mind.
@mukamo, Yeah tama ka “Dare you to survive even 1 day of training in the business.” Di nga talaga kakayanin lalo na kapag hindi mo gusto yung field na ito.
Iba pa rin yung nagtratrain/nagtratrabaho ka sa field na pinangarap mo talaga kasi lagi kang optimistic kahit gaano pa kahirap yung mga pangyayari. :)
Tell me how you’re curing cancer, solving world hunger and churning out innovations every five seconds in your current job again please..
Oh wait, you don’t! Ha!
I think i agree with archie. He doesn’t boastfully say na he has a blue collar job here in the philippines. what i understand is di pa pwedeng umunlad ang pinas without bpos and going abroad? Can we work in our own country in a well deserved pay?
@mukamo Is that the best alibi you can give as “hardwork”? Araw-araw maraming tao ang laging OT, nagkakasakit, malayo sa pamilya, hindi kumakain pag lunchbreak etc. at natitiis yun tapos ang biggest dare na magagawa mo lang e ang humarap sa computer, sumagot ng scripted na linya at magpakakonyo sa pagsasalita? Anghirap naman ng trabaho mo, awang awa naman ang mga taong mahal ang ginagawa nila haha!
@Arj Your argument is irrelevant, what does loving your work has to do in curing cancer and saving the world? How about using your brain for a better purpose? Nakapag-english ka lang akala mo na may lalim na ang sinabi mo.
Yes, it’d be better if yung trabaho natin is actually related sa tunay na interests natin. And if may malaki tayong kinikita.
For example, maraming aspiring writers dito sa Philippines.
Yes, it’d be better if yung trabaho natin is actually related sa tunay na interests natin. And if may malaki tayong kinikita pag yun ang finocusan natin. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here in our country.
For example, maraming gustong maging writers dito sa Philippines.
Pero, a lot of them are forced na i-set aside na lang yung passion na yun dahil hindi naman yun makakabuhay ng pamilya.
@archie
For all I know nasa BPO ka rin kunyari ka pa. Hindi ka nga lng ma promote kaya Bitter Ocampo ka. Boo hoo bitch all you want as long I’m living comfortably because of the BPO industy tulo laway ka na lng.
SAGOT!
Mukhang limited to zero idea ata si Archie about BPO industry. It’s not only about picking up phone and reading scripts, there’s more of that. You should better do your homework. Those are white collar jobs in other countries in Engineering, Finance, Accounting, Law, Health Care just to name a few, that requires skills, expertise and critical thinking.
If I may ask, what industry are you from? The way you speak is too arrogant and belittling the folks from other industries.
We are all working hard for ourselves and for our loved ones. Keep yourself grounded chong! Respect lang.
I hope the gov’t is doing soemthing as well in developing other sectors like manufacturing and agriculture.
at last! the government is getting realistic… this is the only job available for Filipinos… this was my suggestion 10 yrs ago… in denial pa siguro sila noon…
Only job available for Filipinos? -_-