Model BPO facility eyes job creation

The World Bank plans to fund a $2 million business process outsourcing (BPO) centre of excellence in partnership with the government to bridge an industry skills gap and improve employment opportunities.

The new facility joins a handful of private sector training facilities that have been set up over the last year to improve BPO skills.

“The government wants to take the burden of BPO training from the private sector,” said Bitange Ndemo, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications.

The move is the latest push by the State to try and jumpstart the industry, which is expected to create 80,000 jobs and generate Sh45 billion in revenues in the next four years.

While the BPOs have been identified as a key pillar in the attainment of the economic blueprint Vision 2030, industry players have blamed poor showing on the skills gap, which had delinked the country from major contracts.

The proposed centre of excellence, which should be operational by the end of the year, will function as an umbrella institution for industry collaboration on BPO talent and skills development.

The industry has struggled to beat high operating costs, high staff turnover and low level of awareness of Kenya as a BPO destination as it seeks to market the country to international clients.

The training facility seeks to offer certificate, diplomas and degree courses to inject skills in the industry and is the brain child of a skills taskforce formed by the Ministry of Information and Communications last year.

Other trainers are Kencall, JKUAT, the BPO Academy and Skyweb Technologies.

Tim Waema, a researcher and private consultant for the ICT Board said the initiative aims to capture a share of more than 2,000 computer science and technology graduates from local universities.

The government last month promised to commit $12 million to support BPO training, marketing and office space for one year.

It has booked office space at the Sameer Park to provide room for operators

The government is also partnering with the International Finance Corporation to develop Malili Technology Park, a 5,000-acre project that will bring together major outsourcing companies, universities, hotels and other export oriented services.

“Three outsourcing companies, among them Deloitte, have expressed interest in the technology park,” said Dr Ndemo.

Kenya’s BPO industry is estimated to be worth $5 million (Sh400 million) with the US market accounting for nearly 80 per cent of the business.

Kenyan investors in the BPO industry fear that the low level of awareness could undo the gains the industry has bagged after the launch of the fibre optic cable.

According to Nicholas Nesbitt, the CEO, Kencall, a Kenyan BPO contact centre, training and certification must go hand in hand with active marketing of the Kenyan BPO industry globally.

“The Government must actively market Kenya as a BPO destination both locally and internationally,” said Mr Nesbitt.

The PS said the government was looking at the Freedom of Information and Data Protection laws, which will give the sector credibility and provide legal certainty.