NIIT UNIQUA brings World Chess Champion and NIIT Mind Champion Viswanathan Anand to Jaipur

NIIT UNIQUA brings World Chess Champion and NIIT Mind Champion Viswanathan Anand to Jaipur

• Viswanathan Anand talks about the need for up-skilling at a seminar on- “Emerging career opportunities in the BPO/ ITeS sector”, hosted by NIIT Uniqua

• Along with Anand, the seminar is addressed by Industry experts from Genpact, Infosys and Deutsche Bank

Jaipur, June 19, 2009: World Chess Champion and NIIT Mind Champion, Viswanathan Anand was in Jaipur today, to attend a seminar on “Emerging career opportunities in BPO and ITeS Sector” organized by NIIT Uniqua- Centre for Process Excellence, an NIIT-Genpact venture. The seminar was held to discuss the growing opportunities in the BPO/ITES sector and how to create talent pool for this industry.

Attended by industry experts from Genpact, Infosys and Deutsche Bank, the seminar was chaired by World Chess Champion, Viswanathan Anand who was the Chief Guest at the event. During the occasion, Anand released a book on “Career opportunities in BPO & Business Services Industry” by NIIT Uniqua.

The Seminar served as a forum to address the ever increasing demand for skilled workers in the BPO and ITES sector. The industry continues on its strong growth trajectory and has become the ‘nerve centre’ for global outsourcing. However, there is still large demand-supply gap in skilled manpower resources. Thus, the primary objective of the seminar was to identify these underlying factors that need to be addressed by the industry. World Chess Champion, Vishwanathan Anand, highlighted the need for up-skilling to increase employability in the present challenging economic scenario.

Citing Jaipur as an emerging outsourcing hub, the industry experts highlighted that more than 100 IT and ITES companies have already set up presence in the city. Over the past three years, the total exports from the city rose by 40% touching about $100 million in the last fiscal year. This has provided an enabling environment for many companies to set up operations here. Leading companies such as Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Nucleus Software, Nagarro Software, Truworth, Connexions will be starting operations in Jaipur, shortly. Thought leaders and industry experts across the business process outsourcing industry discussed the key trends in the sector and highlighted various opportunities, with particular focus on Jaipur and surrounding areas.

Addressing the seminar, World Chess Champion and NIIT Mind Champion Viswanathan Anand said, “Our education system offers a rigid and inflexible course curriculum which leads to constrained development of skill sets in our society. Hence, acquisition of additional skills becomes imperative to help increase one’s employability. Just like a game of Chess contributes significantly towards intellectual development, similarly, up-skilling helps you to have an edge over others.”

According to NIIT Uniqua President, Chockalingam Murugan, “The important issue that needs immediate attention is employability of the potential workforce. Most of the graduates who aspire to be employed in this sector remain unemployed for want of right skills to excel in the BPO environment.  ITES-BPO industry is growing at over 50 per cent, providing an ever-expanding opportunity to create more jobs than any other sector.

Recognizing this need, NIIT Uniqua offers a blended learning curriculum that brings together formal learning and hands-on real-life experience for aspirants for sustainable career development in Business & Technology Services industry.”

Earlier in the day Viswanathan Anand visited the NIIT Uniqua centre, where he awarded certificates to students who have finished their 2-3 months fast track training programs at NIIT Uniqua.  Genpact employees got a chance to play simultaneous Chess with Viswanathan Anand as he paid a visit to the Genpact facility as well.

It may be recalled that last year NIIT had launched NIIT Uniqua- a joint initiative with Genpact, to offer the industry one of the most comprehensive training curriculum for existing and potential employees of business services and technology companies. The minimum eligibility criteria being- graduation. The training curriculum is designed to provide students with a sound knowledge of business processes, language skills, business communication, and finance and accounting. Post course completion, NIIT Uniqua offers placement assistance with leading BPOs.  NIIT Uniqua certified students are currently working in Genpact, Wipro, 24/7, HCL, WNS and other renowned BPOs.