JAMPRO’s BPO Career Fair heads to Montego Bay
THE JAMAICA Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, HEART Trust NTA, and the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ), will bring the agency’s BPO Career Fair to the Montego Bay Convention Centre tomorrow, March 28. The fair will be encouraging employment in the outsourcing sector in Western Jamaica.
After a successful showing in Kingston, with attendees being recruited for employment and training, JAMPRO plans to replicate the event in Montego Bay, which is seen as the hub for the outsourcing sector in Jamaica. The event will feature Minister of Education, Youth and Information Ruel Reid, training presentations to prepare attendees for work in the BPO sector, and on-the-ground recruitment, which will be executed by major BPO enterprises, including Cimpress (Vistaprint), ETech, Itelbpo Smart Solutions, Market Track, and others.
SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT
After last year ’s staging in Kingston, JAMPRO President Diane Edwards explained that it was important to take the fair to the western part of the island to respond to the rapid expansion in BPO in Jamaica. The sector is rising as a major source of employment for Jamaicans, with more than 26,000 agents now employed. Newer companies such as Fusion BPO and Concentrix have entered the market, and others like Ibex, Hinduja Global Solutions, and Sutherland Global have continued to expand their service centres in the country.
“We are focusing on BPO not only to attract investment, but to encourage the employment of local talent who have the skills needed to support the expansion of these companies,” Edwards said.
“This fair will provide the opportunity to not only get persons employed, but also help potential employees understand the skills they need to work in the sector.”
FACILITATING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
Edwards said that JAMPRO and stakeholders in the National IT-BPO Task Force, led by Dr Horace Chang, minister without portfolio i n the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, have been collaborating to create the environment necessary to facilitate sustainable growth in BPO.
“With partners like HEART Trust NTA and the BPIAJ, JAMPRO is able to target not only investors, but focus on the improvement of training and standards for the sector. We see the potential of outsourcing i n Jamaica, and with a holistic approach, we believe that it can be a serious contributor to economic growth for years to come. JAMPRO has positive expectations for the career fair, and the agency is ready to create employment opportunities for Jamaicans.”