Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen and thank you for joining today’s press conference.
It brings me great pleasure to announce the partnership between Outsource Fiji and Learning Planet, under which we are proud to present a customized open-source learning platform specifically designed for professionals working in Fiji’s outsourcing industry.
The platform, which is self-paced, and consists of a comprehensive training resource library that can be accessed at any time, providing a revolutionary online learning experience for individuals in the fields of Sales, Customer Service, Leadership, and Personal Development. The modules on this open-source learning platform, are specifically tailored to meet the needs of agents employed within the industry.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are thrilled to announce that as of today, a total of 16 businesses under our membership have nominated 315 agents to register and be part of this on-the-job education and training program. The program has officially been activated and has commenced as of yesterday, Monday 17 July 2023, and will conclude on Friday 15 September 2023 – with a duration of a total of three months.
Ladies and gentlemen, in recent weeks we have been conducting member visitations to connect with the businesses under membership and gain a deeper understanding of their needs and challenges operating within Fiji’s outsourcing industry. It has become apparent that one of the most prominent areas of concern highlighted by our members is the need for increased education and training opportunities for our people.
Through this open-source learning platform, we have been able to create nine different on-demand pathways for the learners which include: communication skills pathway, customer service pathway, telephone etiquette pathway, sales skills pathway, challenging customers pathway, leaderships essentials pathway, time management pathway, managing conflict skills pathway, and improving mental health pathway.
These pathways will better help our participants to gain more understanding, if not, get a refresher on the basic soft skills required in the os industry, as well as get access to resources that help promote personal development.
Ladies and gentlemen, at this juncture I also wish to announce, that Outsource Fiji will be providing 100 Learning Planet scholarships to those who are currently unemployed and share a common interest in skill development, specifically to prepare them for the outsourcing industry. We strongly believe that this initiative will not only help more people contribute to the industry but also create a stronger and more skilled workforce for Fiji.
The scholarship program requires applicants to have passed Form 6 exams in Fiji, be currently unemployed, aged 18 and above, exhibit commitment, dedication, and motivation and have access to a computer and internet connectivity.
This scholarship program focuses on gender and social inclusivity, encouraging applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds, including women, marginalized communities, and persons with disabilities.
Applications for this scholarship will begin today and will close on 31 July 2023. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit our social media pages, or our website outsourcefiji.com for more information.
Finally, ladies and gentlemen, with the introduction of this education and training platform, Outsource Fiji not only aims to create more job opportunities for our people, who will get to work for international companies and learn their advanced systems and processes, but aims to address brain drain issues. By getting access to employment opportunities in Fiji’s outsourcing industry and working for these international businesses, we are able to retain our talent here and advance Fiji’s economic growth.
I would like to extend our gratitude to Learning Planet for helping us bring this amazing opportunity to the people of Fiji. I also wish to acknowledge the Fiji Government, and our funding partner for their ongoing support towards Outsource Fiji and Fiji’s outsourcing industry as a whole.
Thank you and Vinaka Vakalevu