The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) has thrown its full support behind the recently enacted Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) law, citing its potential to close the skills gap in the labor market.
During a recent press conference in Makati City, CCAP president Haidee Enriquez commended the government for formally recognizing the essential role of enterprises in shaping a future-ready workforce, particularly in the rapidly evolving contact center industry.
The EBET law sets aside an initial PHP500 million to support enterprise-led training programs, moving away from a system that previously relied heavily on academic institutions and agencies like the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for workforce development.
Enriquez emphasized that companies are best positioned to define and deliver the training required by their employees.
“I think that there’s recognition already that as enterprises, we know what we need. And because we know what we need, we are in a better position to provide the trainings to upskill our employees because we’re the experts at it,” she said.
She further noted the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors and the education sector, saying, “We’re very happy that we’re seeing tripartite efforts happening.”
Signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in November 2024, the EBET Framework Act seeks to resolve the long-standing mismatch between job openings and available skills. Apart from the initial funding, the law offers tax incentives to businesses that invest in employee training.
Meanwhile, Enriquez revealed that the contact center sector expects to grow by 5% to 7% in both revenue and full-time employment this year. In 2024, the industry brought in USD31.6 billion and employed 1.6 million full-time workers.