TACLOBAN CITY- The Youth Empowerment Society and Development Strategists, Inc. (YES-DS), a non-government organization based here, is now gaining grounds in its advocacy to draw the youths in Eastern Visayas closer to the bright promises of the call center industry.
YES-DS President Winston Lazarte told Leyte Samar Daily Express in an interview that they already helped several individuals from Eastern Visayas gain employment in call center companies located in Cebu and Manila since late last year when they started their operations for this purpose.
The YES-DS conducts trainings and other necessary preparations for an individual to get the needed skills that would qualify him for call center employment.
“There are greater chances of employment in call centers if one first undergo training from us because we already have the needed materials and the connections to certain call center companies in Cebu and Manila,” Lazarte said.
In fact, he said, a call center company is now requiring about 100 applicants trained by YES-DS every week. He said this is a very big demand and an opportunity as well, which should be given consideration.
“We are training the youth in the region for call center employment because we want to help them improve their personal linguistic skills and economic status. When they get employed in a call center they will get well compensation and help their families also,” Lazarte said.
The training lasts only for ten days and after which will take up subjects such as Call Canter 101, English Grammar, American Accent, Cross-Cultural Differences, American Culture, Customer Service, Call Handling, Telemarketing/ Sales, and some tips on how to pass job interviews. The YES-DS conducts day and night classes to cater to all types of students.
Since they started last November, the YES-DS has already trained three batches of aspirants for call center employment.
The third batch, composed of 24 applicants, just left for Cebu for a final screening in a call center company this week.
Lazarte said he is hoping a 75% passing rate at least for the said batch as they all underwent good training for the job.
Jessica Lapuz, 36, said she is very optimistic that many of them in the third batch would pass the final examination in Cebu because of the sufficient training they have undergone with YES-DS.
Lapuz, who worked for 13 years in a private company in this city, said she wants to get employed in a call center because “I want to have bigger salary and more challenges and get to know more people.”
“I trained here in YES-DS because I was encouraged to know that a lot of their students are making it into call centers,” added Lapuz.
Lapuz, a mother of four, said she would really try to find a job to earn more for her family.
Lazarte said their office located at 2nd floor, Former QTS Bldg. (Now JE Mondejar School), Sto. Nino St., this city, could easily be reached. They can also be contacted at (053) 325-8448.
