With demand
surging, the
country's call
center industry is
gobbling up
workers as soon
as they have
completed
training.
surging, the
country's call
center industry is
gobbling up
workers as soon
as they have
completed
training.
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VTC call center training delayed 4 weeks
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| h o n g k o n g |
filglobe.com
filipino globe online edition
OWWA Manila office fails to complete paperwork on time
JOSE MARCELO HONG KONG
After 15 years as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, Pinky Rivas is looking
forward to going home for good next year and perhaps start a new career in the
country’s booming call center industry.
“I think that would be ideal for me,” said the 39-year-old former school teacher
from Iloilo. “So sana makaya ko.”
JOSE MARCELO HONG KONG
After 15 years as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, Pinky Rivas is looking
forward to going home for good next year and perhaps start a new career in the
country’s booming call center industry.
“I think that would be ideal for me,” said the 39-year-old former school teacher
from Iloilo. “So sana makaya ko.”
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I prefer that
the credibility
of the training
will be
beyond
question If
this is
well-accepted,
then we can
branch out to
other
programs.
The VTC has
other courses
aside from this
the credibility
of the training
will be
beyond
question If
this is
well-accepted,
then we can
branch out to
other
programs.
The VTC has
other courses
aside from this
Rivas is among hundreds of applicants
seeking spots in a pilot class in English
proficiency from Hong Kong’s Vocational
Training Council on scholarships from the
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
Her name was in the stack of 100 pre-
qualified applications sent by the consulate’s
labor office to the VTC, which would then
prune down the list to the 60 homebound
workers that will undergo two-hour classes for
20 successive Sundays beginning on June 1.
Screenings, which would include oral
interviews, are scheduled for May 18 and 25.
Initially set for a May 4 launch, the training was
pushed back four weeks due to a delay in the
approval of the memorandum of agreement by
the OWWA office in Manila. It was finally
signed on behalf of the Philippine government
by labor attache Romy Salud on May 13.
seeking spots in a pilot class in English
proficiency from Hong Kong’s Vocational
Training Council on scholarships from the
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
Her name was in the stack of 100 pre-
qualified applications sent by the consulate’s
labor office to the VTC, which would then
prune down the list to the 60 homebound
workers that will undergo two-hour classes for
20 successive Sundays beginning on June 1.
Screenings, which would include oral
interviews, are scheduled for May 18 and 25.
Initially set for a May 4 launch, the training was
pushed back four weeks due to a delay in the
approval of the memorandum of agreement by
the OWWA office in Manila. It was finally
signed on behalf of the Philippine government
by labor attache Romy Salud on May 13.
Another screening by the VTC at the end of the course would be given
internationally recognized certificates in English proficiency – a major asset
amid great demand for call center agents back home.
The Department of Labor, Salud said, has also started negotiations with a
network of call centers in the Philippines which would be asked to absorb the
graduates into their workforce.
“If you noticed, previous [government-run] training programs were measured
by the number of graduates. It’s like the more we train, the better the
program,” Salud said. “But I want this to be different. Hopefully, its success
will be seen from the quality of its graduates.
“So sana ang pumasa dito will be well-equipped [for call center jobs] at
talagang maipagmamalaki natin.”
Salud has taken a hands-off approach in the final screening of the applicants.
“I’ve given the VTC a free hand in the selection. This is a purely academic
undertaking and I don’t want to influence the selection,” he said.
“I prefer that the credibility of the training will be beyond question.”
Salud said the pilot program will be evaluated at the end of the course to see
how best to proceed with the succeeding classes. He is also looking to tie up
with the VTC on other training programs for Filipino workers.
“If this is well-accepted, then we can branch out to other programs. The VTC
has other courses aside from this,” he said.
A call center job would be perfect for returning domestics like Rivas. The
hours would be shorter and the average entry-level pay of P15,000 a month is
just slightly below the minimum wage for helpers in the territory.
And the best part would be, they do not need to be far from their families.
“Maganda ito, lalo na sa amin na matagal na rito sa Hong Kong,” Rivas said.
“Hindi na rin kasi tayo bumabata. So kung masama man ako, pag-uwi ko at
least I’ll have more options pagdating sa trabaho.”
internationally recognized certificates in English proficiency – a major asset
amid great demand for call center agents back home.
The Department of Labor, Salud said, has also started negotiations with a
network of call centers in the Philippines which would be asked to absorb the
graduates into their workforce.
“If you noticed, previous [government-run] training programs were measured
by the number of graduates. It’s like the more we train, the better the
program,” Salud said. “But I want this to be different. Hopefully, its success
will be seen from the quality of its graduates.
“So sana ang pumasa dito will be well-equipped [for call center jobs] at
talagang maipagmamalaki natin.”
Salud has taken a hands-off approach in the final screening of the applicants.
“I’ve given the VTC a free hand in the selection. This is a purely academic
undertaking and I don’t want to influence the selection,” he said.
“I prefer that the credibility of the training will be beyond question.”
Salud said the pilot program will be evaluated at the end of the course to see
how best to proceed with the succeeding classes. He is also looking to tie up
with the VTC on other training programs for Filipino workers.
“If this is well-accepted, then we can branch out to other programs. The VTC
has other courses aside from this,” he said.
A call center job would be perfect for returning domestics like Rivas. The
hours would be shorter and the average entry-level pay of P15,000 a month is
just slightly below the minimum wage for helpers in the territory.
And the best part would be, they do not need to be far from their families.
“Maganda ito, lalo na sa amin na matagal na rito sa Hong Kong,” Rivas said.
“Hindi na rin kasi tayo bumabata. So kung masama man ako, pag-uwi ko at
least I’ll have more options pagdating sa trabaho.”
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