Bacolod City: The city government has partnered with seven companies to implement a near-hire training program in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, under the Asenso Life Skills Academy initiated by outgoing Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez. Frances Mae Llamas, head of the city's Department of Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (D-LEDIP), stated that the collaboration is the first local government unit-led initiative in Western Visayas and Negros Island Region.
According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative aims to address the skills gap in the BPO sector by providing targeted, job-ready training for near hires. The partnership represents a significant breakthrough for Bacolod's digital workforce and was formalized through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between key industry players and Bacolod City College (BCC), led by college administrator Ma. Johanna Ann Bayoneta, in the presence of Mayor Benitez at the Government Center.
The BPO companies involved in the program include Ubiquity, Teleperformance, InteLogix, Transcom, Global Strategic, iQor, and Concentrix. In this collaboration, BCC serves as the training hub, the BPOs as industry partners, and the city government as the central hub. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will provide guidance and certification.
The agreement outlines that the government-academe-industry collaboration aims to implement a near-hire training program featuring curriculum enhancement, a 10-day simulation-based instruction, industry-led training, certification, and potential employment placement facilitated by TESDA and the local government unit at a designated hub. The program seeks to leverage funding mechanisms such as the TESDA Enterprise-based Education Training Framework and Micro-Credentials Program.
As per the MOA, the industry partners are committed to enhancing the competencies of potential BPO workforce entrants through industry-relevant training, simulation, and employment opportunities. Meanwhile, BCC aims to improve the employability of its graduates by integrating industry-based skills training into its academic programs, further committing to providing quality education and skills development opportunities to its students to enhance their career readiness.
