by KRISTIN ENGEL
Cape Town - The City, in partnership with Cape Business Process Outsourcing (CapeBPO), aims to increase employment opportunities and establish Cape Town as a base for call centres by providing them with a skilled workforce through a new initiative, the Cape Skills and Employment Accelerator.
The new initiative directs R55 million in funds and is already equipping 3 000 young people with the training and skills needed to succeed in the industry, as well as stipends and placements in call centres.
Economic Opportunities and Asset Management Mayco member James Vos said the City has allocated R28.5m towards skills development and training in the BPO sector between July 2018 and March 2021 in an effort to increase the industry’s great potential.
“When I was given oversight over the City’s Enterprise and Investment Department in 2018, one of my main goals was to see the City of Cape Town make meaningful strides in the fight against unemployment and to stoke economic growth.
“The result is a phenomenal R3.4 billion in investments pumped into the economy in the past three years alone. The sector employs more than 60 000 people in the city, with over 17 037 of them gaining employment in the last three years,” said Vos.
Vos and the City’s Portfolio Committee recently visited the Webhelp call centre in the city centre.
Webhelp’s chief commercial officer, Brandon Aitken, said despite the pandemic, they have brought eight new clients to South Africa since the start of last year and have created 2 050 South African jobs, with 1 400 of those jobs coming to Cape Town.
CapeBPO’s chief executive, Clayton Williams, said the notable gains were the result of working closely with partners such as the City.
“The supply pipeline to provide the necessary talent and skills to service demand is a key focus area, and we are most fortunate that we have fostered genuine and functional private/public sector partnerships.”