A Cape Town learning centre which was launched in July in an attempt to help improve Grades 11 and 12 pupils’ results in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) via free online courses, will now also be launching a work-readiness training programme.
The Futur-Ed e-Learning Centre in Athlone has teamed up with CapeBPO to help bridge the gap of unemployment.
According to a statement released by Futur-Ed spokesperson Jehad Kasu, South Africa’s business outsourcing process (BPO) sector is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries and 50% of the BPO companies are located in Cape Town.
He said about 60,000 jobs have already been created in the BPO sector in the province; however, there is a lack of work-ready candidates.
The training course, which is set to be held over two days, will include an open day on Monday, October 5, and the training, worth R5,000 per candidate, will be free.
“Through our accelerated work-readiness programme that’s recognised by CapeBPO, we will bridge the gap between a candidate being available to work and being ready to work, eliminating the lag between recruitment and being a productive employee,” Kasu said.
Chairman of Rutherglen Investments and Futur-Ed’s parent company Ismail Kaskar said the learning centre was a stepping stone towards reviving the once-thriving Athlone central business district (CBD) into a training, technology and innovation hub.
He said with many BPO staff members living in Athlone and surrounding Cape Flats areas and its multi-mode transport hub, it made perfect sense to establish a BPO hub in the area.
Various BPO companies will also be attending the open day in an attempt to find suitable candidates for their company.
CapeBPO’s chief skills officer Clayton Williams said they were excited to partner with Futur-Ed.
“As the custodian and industry body in the region, CapeBPO finds incredible value in partnering with Futur-Ed in this manner.
“With 6,000 new jobs created in the international outsourcing segment in the last financial year alone, we understand the vast amount of job opportunities already waiting to be filled, as well as the growth we know is imminent within the BPO sector.
“It is a strategic win to facilitate the bridge between employee readiness and their absorption into this fast-growing industry,” Williams said.
Interested candidates are invited to email their CV to bpo@futur-ed.co.za.
