Cape Town: Count of young Capetonians have increased at Athlone Stadium during the Day of 1000 Opportunities, where job-seekers were introduced to the call centre industry. The event is administered by CapeBPO in collaboration with the City of Cape Town, Western Cape Government and Futur-ED.
Reportedly, fourteen companies attended the event, which included:
- Ascensos
- Boomerang
- Capita
- Concentrix
- DSG
- EXL
- Foundever
- IGT Solutions
- TPSA
- TTEC
- TELUS International
- and, WNS/Ucademy
The event observed the presence of Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos, who met with some young people and shared few words of encouragement.
Alderman James Vos said that Cape Town has become a premium global choice for many of the world’s biggest Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies to base their operations, with over 100,000 employees in the city which is now serving as domestic and international clients.
During this last financial year alone from April 2024 to March 2026, 10,427 new jobs were created in BPO. Last year also, the industry funneled R23 billion into the metro economy. Ten years ago, over 45,000 people worked in the BPO industry in the Western Cape, the majority of whom were based in Cape Town.
Furthermore, estimations for 2015 indicated that contact centres contributed around R10.9 billion to the provincial economy. When comparing where Cape Town’s industry was then versus where it is now, the growth is phenomenal.
According to Vos, it would not have been possible without the ongoing work of the City of Cape Town with partners such as CapeBPO in which they focus on skills development in tandem with investment promotion.
The Day of 1000 Opportunities is one of several initiatives overseen by CapeBPO to bolster the regional industry. The organization administers the Youth Skills and Employment Incubator that equips participants with the skills and knowledge required to secure entry-level roles in contact centres and other BPO functions. The incubator is funded by the City of Cape Town and the Department of Labour.
Chief Skills Officer at CapeBPO – Shaheed Hendricks said that this is an important initiative that opens doors for young people to step into the growing BPO sector. A sector that has proven itself as a significant driver of inclusive economic growth in Cape Town.
Through events like this, CapeBPO connects thousands of talented young job-seekers directly with employers through such events and ensures that opportunities are accessible and potential is realized.
As the industry continues to expand and create thousands of new jobs each year, they remain committed to strengthening these pathways from skills development to sustainable employment,’ said Shaheed Hendricks.