BPESA

BPESA and eThekwini Municipality partner with leading BPO provider, Rewardsco, for work readiness programme

Last month, the South African government demonstrated its commitment to propelling the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector by announcing it had allocated a budget of R569 million in this financial year.

In support of the ongoing effort by government to help build the burgeoning BPO industry, eThekwini Municipality has already successfully rolled out an impactful work readiness programme together with BPESA.

Six promising young agents from industry-leader Rewardsco completed the week-long programme developed and facilitated by Careers I.T. at Rewardsco’s head office on the Umhlanga Ridge.

The Rewardsco Group – together with BPESA and other industry leaders – has been instrumental in changing perceptions of the industry. Working in the BPO environment was once considered a ‘job’ but is now being recognised as a viable and rewarding long-term career path.  

Rewardsco has been a vocal and active champion of upskilling people in the industry through ongoing training. This initiative with eThekwini and BPESA proved to be a perfect fit for the group as the Careers I.T. course is designed to equip participants with valuable I.T. knowledge and skills, as well as essential customer service training and life skills.

“Some of the most inspiring people in our business arrived here with very little on their CVs. We pride ourselves on working with the new recruits  - with the right training, mentorship and ongoing support, they can go onto achieve great success in a highly competitive and dynamic environment”, says Paul Taylor, Rewardsco’s Head of Learning and Development.

Successes of the delegates

Nestah Nkosi, one of the ‘graduates’ who reflected on the significance of the work readiness programme, emphasised that the certificate earned after completing this course would help open doors to new opportunities.

“I’m grateful to the municipality, BPESA , Careers I.T. and Rewardsco – initiatives like this take time, expertise and funding. This programme has been invaluable to me and my colleagues”, said Nkosi.

Another agent, Minenhle Ngubane, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to enhance his knowledge of I.T. systems used in the BPO industry: “Through the programme, we gained expertise in troubleshooting basic computer problems and resolving errors independently, without relying on the support of the I.T. team”.

This outcome was echoed by his colleague Siphokazi Mtolo, who said he too now has a broader understanding of the I.T. world and the systems behind it. “I'm very grateful for the opportunity we were given to upskill ourselves”, said Mtolo.

“Extremely enriching”, is how it was described by Nothando Nkosi, who is currently pursuing a B. Com Law degree. “This programme boosted my confidence and improved my people skills – and that is already positively impacting my personal life and my professional performance. I have no doubt that I will take these learnings into my future legal career too”, she said.

Mava Sabela also found the programme to be a very positive experience, giving her a better understanding of how the technology used in BPO actually works. “I am now be able to speak to an I.T. specialist or office support and explain any issues I’m having, which makes things easier for both parties”, she remarked.

Gift Dlamini highlighted the benefits of learning problem-solving through critical thinking, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and improving overall job performance. She added that the programme had a profound impact on her mindset and understanding of technology.

The future lies in upskilling

“The sponsorship by eThekwini of these kind of initiatives is essential in continuing to build Durban’s BPO industry with highly skilled and motivated agents. With the right training and support, agents have the ability to grow sustainable careers and to help build Durban into the city of choice for the local and global BPO market,” Taylor concluded.

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