IGNOU to train students for career in BPO

IGNOU to train students for career in BPO

IANS New Delhi, July 19, 2008

The India Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will soon start a diploma programme to train students from across the country to take up jobs in business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, well known as call centres.

This will be a one-year diploma course conducted jointly by Accenture Services, a Bangalore based global technology service and outsourcing company.

“You know the BPO situation in our country. It's a growing industry and the number of trained manpower required is huge. Here we have stepped in to provide trained human capital,” IGNOU spokesman Ravi Mohan told IANS.

Mohan said the varsity has already signed an agreement with Accenture. Candidates who have passed 10+2 or equivalent can apply for the course.

“It is just not outsourcing for foreign companies, many Indian companies, government offices too have opened and will open call centres for better customer relations.

“This course will create a pool of professionals who will be able to handle the job better and reduce attrition rate,” Mohan added.

Those having IGNOU's certificate course in communication skills will have an edge but alternatively students shall be screened through a communication evaluation test.

The specialization would be offered in finance and accounting, insurance, banking, human resources, sourcing and category management, customer contact services, health care, pharma, engineering services, equity research, capital markets, order management and technical writing and learning services.

IGNOU shall ensure that the course will be imparted through a mix of education delivery channels across India including print, CD, web-based learning materials, contact sessions and simulated exercises labs for language and application learning.