an online magazine from eyeway.org
an online magazine from eyeway.org
issue 6 
september-october 2005
click here to browse other issues
sections in this issue: by george | focus | feature | perspectives | profile | headlines
by
george
The opening up of employment opportunities in B.P.O.s for visually impaired people holds tremendous promise. What B.P.O.s have neglected is bringing in trainers who are qualified to work with people with visual impairment, who are sensitive to their needs and training requirements, and who can also advise the company on the changes necessary to suitably modify the working environment.
However, training programmes will not be enough. It's not just about numbers, it's about being productive. By providing the right environment, B.P.O.s will ensure that the limitations of visual impairment do not become obstacles in becoming productive workers.
Working in a B.P.O. demands hard work. Long hours and shifts are a given. Computer skills, of course, are essential. Then there is dexterity in language and work on accent. There are long training sessions to sit through. It is not a 9 to 5 job, and it needs the corresponding attitude. Blind employees in B.P.O.s carry the burden of being role models. They have to show that it can be done, and done successfully.
B.P.O.s need people, lots of them. There are visually impaired people hunting for jobs. We need more interaction. We want more action, less talk.
George Abraham
Editor, beyond the I