In November, a class of 50 professionals graduated from the business process outsourcing (BPO) training program of the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre (T&T IFC), an initiative designed to elevate the skills of the country’s finance and accounting services sector.
This was the second graduating class of the program, and each member received the Global Business Services (GBS) certification from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) as well as the “soft skills” certification from the University of the West Indies Roytec.
T&T IFC Chairman Richard P. Young speaks at the graduation ceremony for the second class of of his agency’s BPO training program. (Credit: T&T IFC)
Richard P. Young, chairman of T&T IFC, said that the graduates “represent the future of Trinidad and Tobago’s financial sector” during the graduation ceremony at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business in Mt. Hope.
Young highlighted that adding new skills and better trained professions to the industry is especially critical now “in a time when we must all push ahead with our tremendous efforts to diversify our nation’s economy.”
November’s graduates, who are now better prepared to work in the finance and accounting (F&A) business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. (Credit: T&T IFC)
The BPO training program was developed earlier this year and is among the many ways that the T&T IFC is working to develop financial sector skills the nation’s labor force. The certification is offered through a bursary from the T&T IFC and based upon a partnership between the public agency, ACCA, and UWI Roytec.
Che O’Connor, a graduate of the program, was grateful for the opportunity and believes that both the financial knowledge and the soft skills learned will help to advance in the field. “The information will help me prepare myself better for the working world,” said O’Connor. “I have already started applying what I learned to the way I dress, how I speak, and dealing with difficult situations.”
Nick Jervis, regional director of sales and marketing at ACCA Caribbean, also attended the graduation ceremony and was happy to see dozens of young professionals benefit from the program that his organization has worked for years to improve and refine. In his eyes, they are now better prepared to work as higher-level service providers for global companies.
“The ACCA GBS qualification directly contributes to world-class talent management,” said Jervis. “Developed in consultation with over 150 employers from across the globe, and already available in countries with established BPO industries such as China, Malaysia, and Poland, this is a significant step for the T&T IFC and the participants of this program.”
