Focus on KPO, BPO industry
Needs 75,000 more sector professionals in five years:
Indunil HEWAGE
The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry is capable of
contributing 15 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if
the foremost requirements are adopted well, BPO Certification Institute,
Executive Vice President and Global Operations Head Sanjeeva Shukla
said.
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ICTA Private Sector Development Program Head Fayaz Hudah,
Virtusa Vice President Madu Ratnayake, Ceylon Chamber of
Commerce President Dr Anura Ekanayake, Uva Wellassa University
Vice-Chancellor Chandra Embuldeniya and UNOPS Sri Lanka and the
Maldives National Portfolio Development Head Rohantha Athukorala
are at the panel discussion. Picture by Thushara Fernando |
Addressing the launching ceremony of the Lanka BPO Academy he said
the Sri Lankan BPO industry needs to differentiate its services
projecting on where it is moving and what it can successfully deliver to
the world market.
The BPO industry is democratizing the world and small countries in
the world have a potential to deliver services to the superpowers in the
world.
The major segments in the BPO industry which are customer
interaction, backup transactions, financial accounting and technical
support have a huge demand from the world.
“Small countries like Sri Lanka are able of catering to this demand
by using its demographic advantage,” he said.
“At the initial stage India lost billions of money making simple
mistakes in the BPO industry and Sri Lanka needs to be mindful not to
make any errors whilst reaching world expectations and delivering
services to the world market when it comes to the BPO industry in Sri
Lanka.”
He said people with lower professional qualifications should be
provided orientation training to join the BPO industry while creating
more well paid qualitative job opportunities.
“Sri Lanka is gaining world attention and has been recognized by the
world for its ability to produce more intellectuals. Sri Lanka should
aggressively look at expanding the Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)
industry.
The development of sub sectors specially tourism industry mostly
depend on knowledge and university undergraduates need to be empowered
with knowledge which is commercially demanded by companies in the
world,” Shukla said. The BPO industry is heavily based on proficient
investments and the capability of the BPO industry to generate more
revenue to the country and employment opportunities for youth needs to
be identified whilst having right numbers and trained human talents to
attract new businesses in the global companies.
The IT and BPO industry is expected to reach US $ 750 million and US
$ 400 million export revenue by 2015 respectively. Currently, IT and BPO
industry earns US $ 290 million and US $ 97 million in exports
respectively.
“Lanka needs to train around 50,000 and 25,000 personnel respectively
for the Sri Lankan IT and BPO industry in five years to cater to the
increasing demand from the world,” Virtusa Vice President Madu Ratnayake
said. |
