Global Services Sector Continues to Drive Employment Growth

The Global Services Sector (GSS) continues to be a major employment driver with a 61.5 per cent increase in the number of jobs created over an eight-year period.

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, said that 52,000 persons are now employed in the sector, moving from 32,000 in 2016.

He was addressing the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ) Conference and Awards Ceremony held recently at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

The event, under the theme ‘Forward Thinking…What Lies Ahead’, brought together stakeholders from the BPO sector, both locally and internationally, to engage in insightful discussions, share innovative ideas, and recognise the outstanding contributions made by individuals and organisations within the industry.

Minister Hill said that the sector has been making a major contribution to the economy and noted that the Government has developed a national five-year strategy to position the country to further capitalise on the growth in demand for services.

He said that global industry trends indicate substantial demand for BPO, knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), and information technology outsourcing (ITO) services with forecast revenue growth of 9.1 per cent, 18.4 per cent and 7.7 per cent, respectively.

The Minister called on stakeholders to “join in this very noble national effort to cement our political independence with… robust and positive economic growth for economic independence”.

For his part, President of the GSAJ, Anand Biradar, said that while the industry has performed well, more needs to be done to create a premium service experience across all sectors.

“To charge a high premium, we must deliver the highest possible imaginable service experience, not just within the walls [of a specific entity] but across the country. Whether it is the shopping experience, dining, any business to consumer engagement that happens within the country, not [just] for international visitors but also for our very own Jamaican consumers. That service experience has to be elevated,” Mr. Biradar stressed.

“I call for everyone here to deeply think, collaborate and imagine and make Jamaica a crown Jewel of service experience,” he added.

The GSAJ represents the outsourcing industry and information and communications technology (ICT) companies doing business in Jamaica.

Its mandate is to lobby the Government on behalf of the ICT-BPO operators to improve the operating and regulatory environment, assist member companies by representing their interests, create competitive advantages and promote the outsourcing sector in Jamaica, the region and the world.

Source: JIS