On 14 June 2005, I had the opportunity to attend and represent the CPU President in the e-Services Industry-Academe Summit at Hotel Inter-Continental Manila.
Returning from the summit, I submitted my report to Dr. Juanito Acanto, who was the president at that time.
The report mentioned several interesting items which have implication on CPU’s curriculum, particularly on her IT-based courses.
e-Services Industry-Academe Summit
14 June 2005
Hotel Inter-Continental Manila
REPORT
The e-Services or Information Communication Technology (ICT) Industry covers the business process outsourcing, contact center, software industry, medical transcription, animation, and engineering designs.
Senator Mar Roxas was the keynote speaker. He stressed that one of the most challenging factors in the e-Services Industry is the lack of qualified employees. He challenged that educational institutions must revise curriculum to fit the HR demands of the e-Services Industry sector.
Panel discussions were conducted to tackle the two main topics of the summit, which are
- HR Requirements of the ICT Industry
- HR Initiatives for the ICT Sector.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the panel discussions, the following are the areas where CPU could respond to the HR demands of the ICT sector.
CONTACT CENTER
- Develop or acquire modules for Contact Center courses
- Excellent English communication skills
- IT proficiency
- Multicultural adaptability
- High degree of trainability
- Customer service orientation
- Flexibility
ANIMATION
- World class talent
- Boundless creativity
- English proficiency
- Ability to comprehend concepts and storylines
- Exposure to different cultures
- Speed in dealing with art work
ENGINEERING DESIGNS
- Improve engineering designs subjects to enable students gain employment in companies who are big players
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
- CPU could be human resource for software development
- CPU could provide financial incentives, a sort of Research and Development Fund for development of unique software.
- CPU should hone the documentation skills of software engineering students.
ANIMATION
- CPU explore the possibility of developing course or elective subject on ANIMATION
- Because of software development on animation, CPU could integrate in the curriculum “animation design” as a subject.
- Are CPU graduates, especially in IT related courses, prepared enough to meet the needs of companies involve in e-Services?
- Communication skill is important in doing e-service
- Confidence in dealing with all kinds of people, especially with foreigners
- Domain or industry experience
- Management skills—team leaders, facilitators
MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION INDUSTRY
- Three basic strength of the Philippines in this business are English, Creativity, and Service
- TESDA and DTI are agencies who have the training modules and standards on Medical Transcription
- CPU explore the prospect of offering MT as a health-related course or a subject in our medical-related courses like nursing, medical technology or medicine.
CONCLUSION
To answer the current gap of HR requirements between e-Services Industry and the Academe, CPU shall:
- Develop IT-based courses curriculum that is relevant to present HR needs of e-Services Industry
- Course or elective subjects on ICT in all academic disciplines should be considered
- There is a need to strengthen linkages of CPU with e-services industry
- Students and faculty exposures and trainings must be enhanced.
- Creation of a strong backbone towards providing quality HR to e-services industry
- Development of Business and Technology Park (UP Diliman model)
- Improve access to Japanese, Chinese and Korean industries through student exchange programs and through the possibility of offering language study.
- Feasibility of putting up a PLACEMENT COMPANY should be considered. This could be a good project of the Alumni Association.
Please take note these recommendations were written in 2005, almost a decade ago with much thoughts on CPU’s future academic direction vis-a-vis the ICT industry.
Reading through the 2005 report, I reflected and asked, “Is CPU in the future now, responding proactively to the e-Services or ICT Industry needs?”
CPU DERECHO 