JAMAICA Promotions Corporation’s (JAMPRO’s) BPO Career Fair is set for the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James today.

The fair, which is being held in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, HEART Trust/NTA and the Business Process Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ), will be encouraging employment in the outsourcing sector in western Jamaica, a release from JAMPRO said yesterday.

After a successful showing in Kingston with attendees being recruited for employment and training, JAMPRO said yesterday that it plans to replicate the event in Montego Bay, which is seen as the hub for the outsourcing sector in Jamaica.

The release said the event is expected to feature training presentations to prepare attendees for work in the BPO sector, Also, on-the-ground recruitment will be executed by major BPO enterprises, including Cimpress (Vistaprint), ETech, Itelbpo Smart Solutions, and Market Track, the release said.

After last year’s staging in Kingston, JAMPRO President Diane Edwards explained that it was important to take the fair to the western part of the island in response to the rapid expansion of BPO in Jamaica.

The sector is reportedly rising as a major source of employment for Jamaicans, with more than 26,000 agents now employed. Newer companies, such as Fusion BPO and Concentrix, have entered the market, and others like Ibex, Hinduja Global Solutions and Sutherland Global Services have continued to expand their service centres in the country, the release said.

“We are focusing on BPO not only to attract investment, but to encourage the employment of local talent who have the skills needed to support the expansion of these companies,” Edwards is quoted as saying in the release. “This fair will provide the opportunity to not only get persons employed, but also help potential employees understand the skills they need to work in the sector.”

Edwards said, too, that JAMPRO and stakeholders in the National IT-BPO Task Force have been collaborating to create the environment necessary to facilitate sustainable growth in BPO.

“With partners like HEART Trust/NTA and the BPIAJ, JAMPRO is able to target not only investors, but focus on the improvement of training and standards for the sector. We see the potential of outsourcing in Jamaica, and with a holistic approach, we believe that it can be a serious contributor to economic growth for years to come. JAMPRO has positive expectations for the career fair, and the agency is ready to create employment opportunities for Jamaicans,” she said.

The release said JAMPRO’s mission is to drive economic development through growth in investment and export. JAMPRO is an agency of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.