The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector in Fiji is making strides to meet the industry’s evolving demands through the establishment of specialized training programs. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communications Manoa Kamikamica has announced ongoing discussions with Fiji National University to develop a new curriculum that focuses on essential skills such as forensic accounting, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
Kamikamica highlighted the importance of equipping young people with relevant technical skills to thrive in the rapidly growing BPO industry. He expressed a need for proper educational frameworks that prepare youth for employment opportunities within the sector, emphasizing the potential for job creation and economic diversification.
He elaborated, “We don’t actually have a proper education curriculum to train a lot of these young men. So hopefully we’ll be able to get some of the young men and women trained in call center training before they actually arrive on site with the employers.” This initiative is viewed as a critical step toward aligning education with industry needs, ultimately enhancing Fiji’s competitiveness in the global outsourcing market.
This forward-thinking strategy comes in the context of Fiji’s significant growth in the BPO sector, with the workforce currently numbering around 8,000, and plans to create an additional 25,000 jobs in the next five to ten years. The government has been proactive in supporting sector growth with funding and initiatives aimed at creating a vibrant ecosystem for BPO operations.
Strengthening the workforce through specialized training can yield positive long-term impacts on employment, significantly benefiting local communities and vulnerable groups such as women, who make up a substantial portion of the outsourcing workforce. With government and educational institutions working collaboratively to bridge the skills gap, Fiji is on a hopeful trajectory towards becoming a leading destination for outsourcing services in the Pacific.
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