Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam was already touted as the next giant of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) world in a Spotlight on Vietnam report by audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Vietnam. Despite the challenges initially posed by preventive health measures, the country still shows signs of growth in the BPO industry, which could benefit marginalized groups in society.
Through DIGI-CONNECT, ASSIST continues to bring BPO employment opportunities to persons with disabilities, stay-at-home women, and youth in rural areas by providing access to remote training for upskilling. Recently, the project has moved forward by formally establishing partnerships with various stakeholders, such as the Disabilities People Association of Can Tho. Organizations have been tapped to mobilize beneficiaries, provide training certification, or recruit trainees for BPO companies.
Project partner DIGI-TEXX, a leading BPO company in Vietnam, has also begun working on the learning management system and recruitment portal for DIGI-CONNECT. The demo versions are expected to be finished by the end of the year. Meanwhile, ASSIST is overseeing the development of basic courses for e-learning.
The end goal for DIGI-CONNECT is to attain jobs for an estimated 2,000 trained individuals in DIGI-TEXX and other affiliated BPO companies. These employees will then be able to safely work from the comforts of their home, a set-up that has become more common due to the circumstances caused by the ongoing pandemic.
