PwC seeks better BPO-oriented education

Governments have to urgently reshape the education system to so that employers can get candidates with the right attributes such as spoken language and selected cultural orientation, global consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has said in its just-released study on 'Business process outsourcing (BPO) to India'.

The study has recommended that programmes such as a diploma and masters in business administration (MBA) degree should be initiated with an eye on the growing BPO market. These courses will increase the skills levels of the workforce, the study has said.

The courses will technically be under the All India Council of Technical Education, an autonomous body. However, the council works in tandem with central and state governments.

PwC has also recommended that companies start looking at B-class towns, that is, the smaller urban centres, to solve the problem of finding quality manpower.

Employee availability and costs in A class town and the metros have shot up and is eroding the viability of BPO operations, industry sources said when asked to comment on the recommendation.

The survey said the industry will greatly benefit if a code of ethics to curb human resources linked malpractices is put in place. This will possibly help control the high level of churn in the industry, which is often in excess of 20 per cent in the case of many employers.

"The industry should look to recruit those who are looking for a career and not just a job, with a focus on a temperamental fit", said the overview. The BPO industry will be adding on as many as a million people by 2008 over and above the 100,000 currently employed, it added.