Global Services Sector Continues to Drive Employment Growth

  • The Global Services Sector (GSS) continues to be a major employment driver in the local economy, with a 61.5% increase in the number of jobs created over eight years.
  • 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, as he addressed the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ) Conference and Awards Ceremony held recently at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.
  • The conference, themed 'Forward Thinking…What Lies Ahead', convened stakeholders from the BPO sector, both local and international, for meaningful dialogue, the exchange of innovative ideas, and to acknowledge the exceptional contributions of individuals and organizations in the field.
  • Minister Hill said that the sector has been making a major contribution to the economy and also noted that the Government had developed a national five-year strategy to position the country to further capitalise on the growth in demand for services. He also stated 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%, 18.4%, and 7.7%, respectively.
  • 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,” he highlighted
  • 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)