The Hindu Business Line : High-end BPO jobs turning attractive to engg grads

IT services have been a coveted ground for engineers. But, now, a small but growing number of engineering graduates seems to be shedding the perception that IT services are `superior' to the $5.8-billion business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, and are heading towards the high-end segment of the sector that boasts of domains such as technology-centric business research and engineering design.

Take the case of market research services and analysis firm Annik Technology Services where Mr Raman Roy and his team acquired 40 per cent stake. Mr Roy said, "As much as 20 per cent of the workforce comprises engineers and MCAs (Masters in Computer Applications). This is not surprising as high-end services in BPO require high-end technical capabilities that can be provided by engineers, doctors and actuaries."

The perception that IT services were superior to BPO services, and that working in a BPO meant working only at call centres was slowly changing, he said. High-end work, until now being done by captives, would start coming to third party BPO companies once there was customer comfort that the required skill-sets existed in the country, Mr Roy said, citing engineering design services as an example of high-end BPO work.

Agrees Mr Manoj Madhusudanan, Assistant Vice-President (Business Research), Evalueserve, who believes that technology-specific business research work can be best handled by engineers. "In activities that involve comparing the technical features of products to provide market intelligence data, companies go for engineering graduates," he said, adding that Evalueserve hired engineers in business research and intellectual property (IP) domains.

And, would an engineering graduate choose not to travel the path well worn, if there weren't promise of substantial gains? Accepting an offer in a KPO firm (which is much like a BPO except that it is involved in knowledge processes) could fuel their long-term career aspiration as well. "I have known of people who had offers from IT companies, but refused them as they want to hone their business skills and pursue MBA at a later stage. By working in a KPO firm, they can make the best of business acumen acquired at the workplace to go for an MBA," he added.

Evalueserve recruits and trains fresh engineering graduates in investment research. Clearly, three years into the job, the individual becomes a ripe candidate for an MBA school. At present, the company has over 850 research professionals comprising MBAs, engineers, MDs and lawyers. Of this, 36 per cent are from IITs, and 16 per cent have technology background.

KPO company exevo India Ltd, while hiring professionals, looks for analytic abilities, evaluation and decision-making skills, business and statistical intelligence, and logical and problem solving skills. "Engineering graduates do possess analytic skills... Also, companies moving up the KPO value chain will enhance the utility of engineers to this industry," said Mr Alok Tayal, Vice-President of exëvo.

Another factor that attracts people from engineering stream is that BPO industry is growing at between 25 per cent and 30 per cent, making it easier to find leadership opportunities, said Mr Amit Bhatia, CEO (Knowledge Services), WNS, a company where roughly 500 of the 8,000-employees are engineers.

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