A total of 130 young Capetonians this week celebrated their graduation from the City-funded Cape Skills and Employment Accelerator. Read more below:
The project, which was also funded by the National Skills Fund, was designed to ensure skills pipelines for high-growth industries that will drive demand. Training for the group was administered by the City’s Special Purpose Vehicle, CapeBPO. Learners received a monthly stipend over the duration of their training which was funded by both the City government and the Western Cape Provincial Government while the skills development was conducted by the BPO Skills Academy, Ucademy, OMNI HR Consulting, and People Solutions.
‘Over the three years in which the Accelerator programme was administered, about 2 700 Capetonians were equipped with essential training. They are now armed with accredited qualifications that make them ready to jump into jobs in the call centre industry. In fact, many already have,’ said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
The qualifications include NC: Call Centre Support NQF Level 3 and NC: Call Centre Support NQF Level 4. They also received work readiness training, and psychological and behavioural support to boost their personal development.
Recognising the investment and employment growth of the call centre industry, the City also funds CapeBPO to run other skills development initiatives including:
• The Afterschool programme, where Grade 11 and 12 learners gain first-hand exposure and training in the BPO industry
• The Sunday School, where unemployed youth attend a three-week course followed by an open industry recruitment
‘Cape Town has become a go-to hub for international companies looking to expand their call centre footprint. This is in no small part due to the consistent work the City has done with partners such as CapeBPO to grow a skilled workforce and create a business-friendly region ready to welcome investors,’ said Alderman Vos.
For more information on CapeBPO’s skills development programmes, contact them on 021 427 2900, info@capebpo.org.za or visit CapeBPO.co.za.