Industry-notice BPESA NEWSLETTER - JUNE 2018
- June 15, 2018
CEO WELCOME
The first quarter (March to May) of the 2018 Financial Year has come to an end with positive results in all our key focus areas. This newsletter provides you with some of the highlights of the Quarter and flags key events for the period 1 June to 31 August.
Growth in international jobs
2337 new jobs were created (serving the offshore markets) against a target of 1250. 539 of these were created by captive operators and 1798 by outsource operators. 87% of these jobs were for youth (between the ages of 18 and 35). This is obviously good news for BPO, as a priority sector for economic growth and job creation. The breakdown of these jobs is available in the Jobs Report and on the BPESA website.
Membership
The 2018 membership proposition is being well received with a very positive response from stakeholders across the country who have signed up with the different membership packages. Our mission is to be as inclusive as possible for all the stakeholder groups involved in the Sector and to this end we urge you to pick up the baton and join us in advocating BPESA to your colleagues and network friends.
Marketing and events
The new SA BPO Value proposition has been completed by the Everest Group who will present and discuss it on the 5th July at a National Stakeholder Forum to be hosted by BPESA and the dti in Johannesburg. The value proposition, once signed off, will be sent to all members and will be made available to investors and other interested parties on-line via the BPESA website.
While a number of international companies visited South Africa over the past three months conducting their due-diligence before, hopefully, setting up operations here, the dti sent a team to Australia in the first week of June to engage with captive and outsourcing operators who had reached out to them expressing interest in South Africa. A group of South African companies will be in Les Vegas in mid-June to attend the Customer Contact Week and, for some of them, to attend the CX Outsourcers Mindshare Group. Planning for the GSA Summit to be held in Cape Town on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of October is well underway and will continue into Quarter Two.
More than 20 companies, in the emerging exporter’s category, have registered their interest with BPESA to apply for Government Assistance and support to attend the OSX Conference in London on the 17th and 18th October.
BPESA has established joint marketing forums in Gauteng and KZN, to complement those held in the Western Cape. These bring the dti, Provincial and City government together with BPESA to align and coordinate marketing activities where possible.
The BPESA calendar is being updated more frequently to list international and domestic events that could be of interest to members.
Skills development
A new round of skills forums have been scheduled for the 26th June (Durban), the 29th June (Johannesburg) and the 3rd July (Cape Town). These forums will build on the outputs of the previous two forums (November 2017 and March 2018) while specifically focussing on the formulation of a new strategic skills framework to meet the future requirements of the industry as derived from the new BPO Value Proposition.
The City of Cape Town and the City of EThekwini have both embarked on new skills projects that member companies have been invited to participate in. The City of Cape Town, in partnership with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, EOH and BPESA will train 160 young people on a work readiness programme and 12 month learner ship as they enter the BPO Sector to start their careers. This project has already begun and will run for a year. The EThekwini Municipality in partnership with BPESA will train 360 young people to be work ready for their first jobs in the sector in KZN. This project will run from June to February 2019.
The dti is conducting a review of its Monyetla programme and will be engaging BPESA and its members for feedback on past experiences and inputs to any changes to its design. This is a welcome development as it affords industry the opportunity to influence the design and planned approach of Government funded programmes that are so important to the success of the Sector.
Partnerships
BPESA and Harambee signed an Implementation Agreement in May, in which Harambee will continue to support BPESA with strategic support and other resources as BPESA evolves its National operating model into an inclusive, effective and sustainable Industry Body to serve this growth sector. This partnership was formed on the basis of common intent to stimulate economic growth, create new jobs on scale for the unemployed youth and to upskill and prepare the industry with relevant skills for the future.
Through this partnership with Harambee, BPESA has strengthened its relationships with Government at all levels and is busy forming new relationships with key institutions and role players including the YES team, BUSA and BLSA.
BPESA is also championing the practice of inclusive hiring that Harambee and many of BPESA’s members have adopted to make a difference in South Africa and will start reporting on inclusive hiring in future job reports.
In closing, may the next three months be good to you and yield further positive results and benefit for all out stakeholders.
