Lason to launch training academy for BPO industry

With a view to cater to the needs of the BPO industry, Lason India, a leading BPO firm, will soon launch a training academy called IBEX (Indian BPO for Excellence), which will involve educational institutions, BPO and IT companies and also non-governmental organisations, to make the professionals competent.

Ranjit Pisharoty, president and chief technology officer, Lason India, told Business Standard that IBEX had already started its operations informally and was in the process of training about 150 people to feed the pipeline of Lason's requirements.

However, the formal launch of the training academy for the BPO industry is expected to happen in the next six months.

"Whatever we have learnt over the years in the BPO industry, we need to offer it to the industry. The training academy will provide the process of generalised nature to the industry," he said.

Stating that IBEX was one of the major initiatives from Lason,Pisharoty said that the academy is expected to provide training ranging from simple processing to research and development for the BPO industry.

IBEX, which would have laboratory, research and development activities, would also act as a vehicle for bringing transformation in rural areas through BPO.

It is expected to offer separate courses for people from rural areas to impart basic skills required for the jobs in the BPO industry, as Lason sees huge opportunities for rural BPO. "Unless we make the people industry-ready, job generation will not happen," he added. Pointing out that institutes like NIIT, Aptech and others were offering training for specialised software development skills, he said that there was no institute in the country to train people on processes, information security and the required technological skills for the BPO industry.

Lason India, a subsidiary of US-based Lason Inc, is moving to a new 60,000 sq ft facility in Chennai which will house its corporate office and some of its operations that include healthcare services. Other operations will be managed by sundry centres and associates.