The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be launching a workshop series aiming to equip the rural workforce with skills necessary for the sectors of outsourced IT, back office, and call center solutions in the Philippines.

Formerly known as “Socially Responsible Outsourcing,” the program now dubbed as “Rural Impact Sourcing Workshops” will run from May to November this year. DOST’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Office will kick off the series in Daet, Camarines Norte under the theme “Digital Employment through Rural BPO for Inclusive Growth.”

The Rural Impact Sourcing is part of ICT’s contribution to the 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan, which commits to produce 1.3 million jobs for the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry by 2016.

Through the joint efforts of government entities and private groups in the BPO sector, the program could prepare provincial locations in supplying 11% of the services required by the global outsourcing market, which is projected to be worth $674 billion within the next two years.

Rural Impact Sourcing also seeks to even out the distribution of BPO operations in the Philippines as it currently concentrates on the Metro, leaving some rural areas untapped. The workshop wants to hone the potential of cities outside Metro Manila as well as their workforce by training the locals and grooming the countryside for possible international investors.

“This would generate more opportunities in these areas.” ICT Office executive director Louis Casambre explained. “Not only would it increase employment, it would also mean that the people from these areas no longer need to relocate to get employed. Instead, Rural Impact Sourcing brings the jobs directly to them.”

The Rural Impact Sourcing Workshops will feature talks from several BPO leaders, particularly those under the sector of call center. Other Philippine provinces serving as host locations include Calbayog, Kalibo, Koronadal, and Surigao.

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