[kictanet] Day 6 of 10- BPO Discussions, HR Issues (Continued)

Tue Jun 9 16:34:00 EAT 2009

Muthoni,

Maybe you can tell the Listers how you arrived at Ministry of Trade for skills?

Gilda
Quoting "Ms. Muthoni Masinde" <muthoni at uonbi.ac.ke>:

> Dear all,
> I am for the opinion that we can have a common skills-set database for
> Kenya and the Ministry of Trade can be in charge of this. The Ministry can
> then liaise with the training institutions to collate the data.  The
> initial setting up of the database would be a challenge but once up and
> running (on the Internet), the individual institutions can regularly
> update the database.
> 
> Good day everyone,
> Muthoni
> 
> >
> > Hey,
> >
> > Amazing contributions. The value of a network is indeed a function of what
> > their membership puts on the table and I have to agree I have never seen
> > so much value put forth in such a long time...
> >
> > Luckily, on our schedule, which I copy below for the benefit of the
> > late-joiners, we have another day (today) to exhaust the HR issues.
> >
> > ===schedule=====
> > 1.The policy, legal and institutional frameworks for BPO sector (2days,
> > Walu moderating)
> > 2.Subsidies accorded to BPO sector (2days, Walu moderating)
> > 3.Human capacity issues (2days, Walu moderating)
> > 4.Youth and gender issues (2days, Nyaki moderating)
> > 5.Strengths and challenges for Kenya as a BPO destination (2days, Nyaki
> > moderating)
> > ====ends===
> >
> > So lets have more contributions on HR and ofcourse belated contributions
> > on previous themes (just post against the corresponding theme/subject
> > line)
> >
> > walu.
> >
> >
> > --- On Tue, 6/9/09, n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk <n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >> From: n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk <n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk>
> >> Subject: Re: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re:  Day 5 of 10- BPO Discussions, HR
> >> Issues]
> >> To: jwalu at yahoo.com
> >> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >> Date: Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 1:52 AM
> >> Marilyn,
> >> I agree with you entirely on the fact the graduates have
> >> the necessary business, computing and relevant techinical
> >> skills to take up jobs in BPO. Obviously no academic
> >> ttaining must be followed by job training.
> >> The present universities curriculum are under constant and
> >> regular reviews to make absolutely relevant  and demand
> >> driven.  CHE (Commision for Higher Education) demands
> >> that reviews and revions be done after every Five years.
> >> Such curriculum developments and revisions must provide
> >> evidence of all stakeholders participation ( professionals,
> >> industry, government, alumni etc) in curriculum development.
> >> In addition, IUCEA is also giving new guidelines for
> >> curriculum development esp for accreditation purposes. The
> >> formation of other bodies would look to mw like duplication.
> >> The principal focus is to create a suitable environment to
> >> manage and operate domestic BPOs which will be building
> >> capacity while
> >> we manage and  repair our tarnished image
> >> abroad.  Such investiments would not only create the
> >> much needed job opportunities but would also provide avenues
> >> for skills development and transfer.
> >>
> >> Nancy
> >> Sent from my BlackBerry®
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: "Marilyn M. Kamuru" <mkamuru at emanageafrica.com>
> >>
> >> Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 18:00:16
> >> To: <n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk>
> >> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >> Subject: [kictanet] [Fwd: Re:  Day 5 of 10- BPO
> >> Discussions, HR Issues]
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Excellent point!  I think we are making a huge mistake
> >> especially in light
> >> of the post election violence focusing so heavily on the
> >> foreign investors
> >> and the international BPO market.
> >>
> >> I have been following this discussion and as a local BPO
> >> operator focused
> >> on the domestic market I can tell you we have a difficult
> >> time convincing
> >> local companies to outsource and while all this talk is
> >> good frankly I
> >> think we are missing the point.  If the point is
> >> development, then why
> >> aren't we focusing on how to develop this industry as
> >> quickly and
> >> effectively as possible?  In my view the low hanging
> >> fruit are the
> >> domestic opportunities but we need a lot more work in the
> >> form of
> >> government incentives to operators AND businesses to
> >> promote and support
> >> the nascent outsourcing industry.  Yes, I read the
> >> post on the judiciary
> >> plans to outsource the transcription but I think there is
> >> plenty more work
> >> that can be outsourced and if the government wasn't so
> >> focused on the
> >> foreign investor and looked at the government as a consumer
> >> of outsourced
> >> services and the local private sector we may make more
> >> progress.  My hope
> >> is that we can focus on creating the environment that makes
> >> it conducive
> >> to manage and operate domestic BPOs which will be building
> >> capacity while
> >> we manage and frankly repair our much tarnished image
> >> abroad.  Just like a
> >> company needs to look at reinvesting retained earnings
> >> before it seeks
> >> outside financing, we need to look at what we can do
> >> locally before we
> >> start tapping the international market, especially given
> >> the heightened
> >> risk factors that Kenya faces since 2007/8.
> >>
> >> This means:
> >> 1.  Government departments, agencies outsourcing work
> >> to local companies
> >> and looking at outsourcing not as a way to shed jobs but as
> >> a means to
> >> better manage scare resources.
> >> 2.  Tax breaks for local BPO operators and private
> >> companies contracting
> >> outsourcing services locally to incentivize operator
> >> investment and
> >> company adaption of services in this industry.  Tax
> >> breaks should be
> >> immediate and not dependant on the entry or attraction of
> >> foreign
> >> investors.  Those of us currently in operation are
> >> betting on Kenya.
> >> Instead of waiting we are putting our money to work
> >> believing in the
> >> future of this country...I don't think we are asking for
> >> too much when we
> >> ask the government to support our development.
> >> 3. Less focus on what we do not have and a greater focus on
> >> what we have.
> >> Skills, entrepreneurs and an optimistic view of our country
> >> as well as a
> >> domestic market and potential to tap into the larger
> >> regional market (EAC
> >> & COMESA).
> >>
> >> Finally, I am of the contrarian view: we have the skill
> >> set, but because
> >> we are not willing to start where we are we are asking
> >> students and
> >> graduates to pay more money to get additional certification
> >> before we can
> >> get foreign investors interested in our country...Frankly I
> >> think we place
> >> too much stock in certificates and paper
> >> qualifications.  If we ask these
> >> graduates to take another training class with the promise
> >> of better
> >> opportunity they will...instead I suggest we recognize the
> >> current
> >> intellectual capital that we have and those of us in the
> >> industry focus on
> >> the job training and going back to the role that government
> >> can play,
> >> obtain tax credits for this on the job training.  Lets
> >> us make sure these
> >> graduates have work and build on that instead of creating
> >> additional
> >> hurdles to employment.
> >>
> >>
> >> Subject:   Re: [kictanet] Day 5 of 10- BPO
> >> Discussions, HR Issues
> >> From:   "S.Murigi Muraya" <murigi.muraya at gmail.com>
> >> Date:   Mon, June 8, 2009 5:17 pm
> >> To:   mkamuru at emanageafrica.com
> >> Cc:   "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions"
> >> <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> >> Priority:   Normal
> >>
> >>
> >> > Let us also factor in on the job training to improve
> >> our skill sets.
> >> > Software engineers become masters of their craft by
> >> doing projects and
> >> > by exchanging (code and concepts) with their peers. A
> >> classroom setting
> >> > possibly contributes to less than 10% of all their
> >> success.
> >> >
> >> > There have been a number of comments in these (BPO)
> >> discussions
> >> > comparing us with India, South Africa and Mauritius.
> >> >
> >> > We cannot rely on the whims of those with negative
> >> (but often valid)
> >> > perceptions towards us. We need to give ourselves a
> >> chance that is of
> >> > our own creation.
> >> >
> >> > @ 40 Million (our 2010 population) growing at 2.5%
> >> >
> (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ke.html
> >> > and others estimate our population growth @ almost
> >> 2.7% per annum) we
> >> > will add 1 Million Kenyans to our population next
> >> year. 2030 is sure to
> >> > see us with a population of at least 60 Million.
> >> >
> >> > With that in mind and given the fact political
> >> instability is the
> >> > current (and unfortunately valid) excuse to avoid
> >> Kenya, we would be
> >> > most ignorant NOT to focus most of our BPO efforts
> >> internally. This will
> >> > build up LOCAL companies and on a REGIONAL basis. This
> >> will build up
> >> > local talent who may otherwise be demoralized for not
> >> being Western
> >> > enough to Foreign BPO companies.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > bitange at jambo.co.ke
> >> wrote:
> >> >> Walubengo,
> >> >> With respect to capacity building, the Government
> >> has done the following
> >> >> Established Multimedia University to focus on IT
> >> Skills Development;
> >> >> Contracted the Central Bureau of Statistics
> >> through CCK to conduct ICT
> >> >> Skills inventory in Kenya and Set up a task force
> >> to look into Skills
> >> >> development as recommended by MaKinsey in the just
> >> concluded Value
> >> >> Proposition.  We are in the process of
> >> appointing other stakeholders
> >> >> into
> >> >> the committee.
> >> >>
> >> >> Although we do not have a sector strategy on
> >> Capacity building, the
> >> >> Governemnt takes issues of skills development very
> >> seriously. This is a
> >> >> matter that NESC emphasizes as key to our
> >> competitiveness.  In this
> >> >> regard
> >> >> we look forward to a quick finalization of the
> >> skills inventory and the
> >> >> task force recommendation.
> >> >>
> >> >> Regards
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> Ndemo.
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>> -Day 5 of 10- BPO Discussions, Human Capacity
> >> Issues
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Morning all,
> >> >>>
> >> >>> I trust you had a refreshing weekend.
> >> Today I want to introduce the
> >> >>> theme
> >> >>> on Human Resource Development for the BPO
> >> industry.  The Researchers
> >> >>> found
> >> >>> that India, S.Africa and Mauritius had a
> >> comprehensive inventory of
> >> >>> their
> >> >>> skill-base that was also available for
> >> Validation by prospective
> >> >>> employers
> >> >>> and investors.  Another observation was
> >> ofcourse the sheer numbers of
> >> >>> Indian graduates (millions) that made it the
> >> largest base of highly
> >> >>> skilled pool of graduates with strong
> >> mathematical/scientific
> >> >>> orientation.
> >> >>>  Whereas, Mauritius was producing only
> >> 10,000 (university) graduates
> >> >>> per
> >> >>> year compared to Kenya's 30,000 per year,
> >> Mauritius had the advantage
> >> >>> of
> >> >>> properly documenting their national graduates
> >> database and marketing it
> >> >>> appropriately to potential clients in
> >> Europe/America.  In addition, the
> >> >>> Researchers noted that Mauritius had a
> >> government funded but
> >> >>> Private-Sector oriented ICT Academy that
> >> produced graduates
> >> >>> specificially
> >> >>> for the ICT industry.
> >> >>>
> >> >>> In Kenya, the Researchers observed that apart
> >> from the lack of a
> >> >>> national
> >> >>> database on the available skills/graduates,
> >> some of the BPO operators
> >> >>> were
> >> >>> engaged in vicious poaching cycles where
> >> Agents trained in-house by one
> >> >>> Operater are immediately hired by the
> >> Competing Operators. It was
> >> >>> noted,
> >> >>> that an attempt has been made by the .KE
> >> Government to create an
> >> >>> Industry-specific University (Multimedia
> >> University College of Kenya)
> >> >>> to
> >> >>> address the HR gap but its success or
> >> otherwise will remain to be seen
> >> >>> in
> >> >>> a few years time.  The Researchers also
> >> noted that Kenya's
> >> >>> English-speaking labor force had an edge over
> >> the Indian one given that
> >> >>> the average Kenyan had a "neutral" accent
> >> unlike the Indian graduate
> >> >>> who
> >> >>> tended to have an "ethnic" accent that often
> >> distracted the
> >> >>> Euro-American
> >> >>>
> >> >> %3
> >> >>
> >> >>
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> >> >>
> >> >
> >> > _______________________________________________
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> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Many thanks and best regards,
> >>
> >>
> >> Marilyn Muthoni Kamuru
> >> eManage Africa Limited
> >> P.O.Box 18136 00500
> >> Nairobi, Kenya
> >> Tel:  (254) 20 828 383; 2034 550
> >> Personal Cell:  (254) 0725 527 972, 0736 225 384
> >> www.emanageafrica.com
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Many thanks and best regards,
> >>
> >>
> >> Marilyn Muthoni Kamuru
> >> eManage Africa Limited
> >> P.O.Box 18136 00500
> >> Nairobi, Kenya
> >> Tel:  (254) 20 828 383; 2034 550
> >> Personal Cell:  (254) 0725 527 972, 0736 225 384
> >> www.emanageafrica.com
> >>
> >>
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> >
> >
> >
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