BPO jobs available to OFW returnees: DOLE

She added that OFW returnees have skill sets that are useful in performing jobs in the BPO industry. (File Photo by Petr Macháček/Unsplash)

MANILA – Job opportunities in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry are available to overseas Filipino worker (OFW) returnees, especially those with a background in the fields of information technology and healthcare, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said on Thursday.

In a statement, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay said the agency and the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) are working together to help the reintegration of OFWs and fill the demand for more manpower in the BPO industry.

She also welcomed the IBPAP’s initiative and assured them of the agency’s support to facilitate the matching between employers and job seekers.

“The DOLE will provide the database of OFW returnees who are interested or who are qualified for the job vacancies,” she said.

Meanwhile, the IBPAP will do career marketing activities, initial screening, and job matching from August to November.

“We are gearing towards virtual job caravans for easier matching between jobseekers and employers,” she added.

Meanwhile, National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) OIC-director Roel Martin said the partnership will help the DOLE attached agency in linking OFW returnees, and even their families, for possible employment.

He added that among the agency’s partners in OFW reintegration are SITEL; the Department of Public Works and Highways and DMCI for Build, Build, Build projects; Mega Sardines; and Motolite.

“OFW returnees are referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for retooling and upgrading of their skills,” Martin said.

IBPAP executive director for Talent Development Frankie Antolin said despite the pandemic, there are still numerous IT-BPM job vacancies because it encompasses the fields of contact center; animation and game development; global shared services; financial, IT, and HR shared services; software and IT outsourcing; and health information management system.

She added that OFW returnees have skill sets that are useful in performing jobs in the BPO industry.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier said he is seeing the resurgence of the BPO industry as the subsequent global recession will force the West to outsource more jobs in the industry, a good size of which will go to the Philippines.