Bilingual deficiency hurting outsourcing sector

WESTERN BUREAU: WITH FAR too few job applicants possessing the ability to speak multiple languages, local business process outsourcing (BPO) operators have had no choice but to surrender that sector of the market to their more prepared counterparts.

“Yes, it is a fact. The bilingual market is not a focus at this time. The focus will be on the English language, and that has been communicated to all interest groups,” a government official, who asked not to be identified, told The Gleaner recently.

“There is a genuine need for this market, but we must be realistic and stick to our strengths. This was the decision that was taken by the task force.”

When contacted for a comment on the concession that has been made, Yoni Epstein, the CEO of itelBPO Smart Solution, the island’s largest outsourcing firm, confirmed that the newly formed IT-BPO Task Force, which is led by Dr Horace Chang, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, had taken the stance stated.

“Frankly, we cannot satisfy that demand in Jamaica. That ship has sailed,” said Epstein. “We cannot grow that market fast enough to be a competitive player. If a Jamaican firm is to be a serious competitor, they have to decide to only focus on English or invest in a country where we can get a large pool of Spanish-speaking workers to choose from.”