Business Process Outsourcing Training
BACKGROUND
With a clear acknowledgment that ICT is the propeller of growth in all sectors of the economy, the government of Ghana adopted and launched an ICT for accelerated development policy in 2003. Part of the pillars of this policy is an initiative for the creation of jobs in the ICT industry.
In line with this initiative, the Ministry of Communications in partnership with the UNDP set up the first of training facilities as part of the Ghana Multimedia Incubator project to focus on the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector. The aim is to produce the much needed labour pool for the industry at a very cost-effective and efficient environment.
INTRODUCTION
The Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre’s BPO training facility was set up in 2005 with the focus of equipping the youth who have completed the basic level of education within the country with the much-need BPO skills required by the industry for attracting outsourcing companies. Currently, training is focused on three (3) main areas:
- Data Processing/Capturing
- Call/Contact Centre Operations
- Medical Transcription
TRAINING AREAS AND CONTENT
1. Data Processing/Capturing Agents training programme focuses on training students in the processing of data of all kinds including
- Handwritten documents
- Dictated recordings
- Scanned documents
2. Call/Contact Centre Agents training programme aims at instilling excellent customer care/service in trainees to enable them represent organisations professionally either physically or over the telephone.
3. Medical Transcription training programme equips students with the ability to transcribe with the highest degree of accuracy the medical information of patients as being dictated by medical doctors and other health professionals.
As part of the curriculum, trainees are taught Time Management and Business Etiquette to enable them meet the demands associated with the professionalism in the BPO industry.
TRAINING FACILITY
The training outfit has a two (2) laboratory facility well-equipped with computers, relevant training software, foot pedals and multimedia headsets.
The facility includes a lecture room where lectures are delivered electronically through the use of laptops and LCD projectors.
TRAINING SCHEDULE AND DURATION
The Centre runs 2 shifts a day from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and 3 pm to 7 pm from Monday through Friday.
The course duration for both Call/Contact Centre and Data Processing/Capturing is 2 months and that for the Medical Transcription ranges from 4 to 6 months depending on the level of a student’s science background.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES AFTER TRAINING
The BPO Sector in Ghana is currently receiving a lot of attention due to its potential of job and wealth creation. Several researches and studies have proven that the country is a prime location for attracting BPO opportunities.
Many companies are therefore setting up in Ghana and preparing for a massive takeoff in this industry. There is therefore a high demand for skills in the BPO sector in various areas for the youth.
Opportunities exist in the training areas offered at the GMIC within the country from the various operating BPO companies as well as those gearing up to begin operations either in off shore business or in shore activities.
The establishment of the Information Technology Enabling Services (ITES) Secretariat by the Ministry of Communications whose mandate is to create the enabling environment for private sector BPO activities in Ghana and the formation of Ghana Association of Software and IT Companies (GASCOM), an association of BPO and ICT related service providers, are indicators of the readiness of the BPO industry to take off fully.
CERTIFICATION
Trainers of The BPO Training outfit of the Ghana Multimedia Incubator Centre are Customer Operations Performance Centre (COPC) certified. This certification provides the centre with international recognition and best practices. Students who pass out of the centre are therefore equipped with international standards of qualification and skill.
Students who undergo training at the Centre receive certificates of participation on successfully completing their coursework and passing the end of course exams. For those who embark on the collaboration courses, done in partnership with various universities and polytechnics, joint certificates are issued during the graduation ceremonies of those institutions.
ENTRY CRITERIA AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES
The minimum entry requirements for the BPO training programme are:
a) GCE ‘O’ Level Applicants:
Must have 5 passes: English Language, Mathematics plus any other three (3) subjects.
b) SSSCE/WASCE Applicants:
Must have six (6) passes including Core subjects: English, Mathematics and Science/Integrated Science and three (3) Electives in relevant subjects with a total aggregate of 24 or better.
c) Any diplomas or vocational certificates recognised by the National Accreditation board.
d) University and Polytechnic graduates with science background is a plus for entry into Medical Transcription training.
Applicants should pick up forms from the front desk of the GMIC, located on the 6th Floor of the Ghana House, High Street, Accra.
