The Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P) launched Monday a national competency test to streamline the recruitment of applicants in the $7.2 billion outsourcing industry, officials said.

BPA/P's national competency test (BNCT), which is an assessment program to generate industry-ready talents for the country's IT-BPO industry, includes test components for learning ability, English language proficiency, perceptual speed and accuracy, computer literacy and service orientation, said its chief executive and president Oscar Sanez.

“If we qualify what we are looking for in the industry, then it would let us get better results of what we want—thus increasing the hiring efficiency of BPO firms, ensuring that college graduates would have a job to look forward to and then, firms have a first-screen at the applicants and individual companies can determine the competency levels acceptable for them while applicants have a feedback on their skills,” said Sanez.

“Basically, this exam would enable us to target our applicants out of the 450,000 graduates we have each year. This is an entry-level test not only for college graduates and career shifters which would streamline the recruitment process both for the applicant and the hiring firms,” said Jamea Garcia, executive director for talent development. Read more...

By Anna Valmero (business.inquirer.net)