Job-Seekers gather for A Day of 1 000 Opportunities at Athlone Stadium

Scores of young Capetonians turned out at Athlone Stadium for the Day of 1 000 Opportunities where job-seekers were introduced to the call centre industry this week.

The event is administered by CapeBPO in collaboration with the City of Cape Town, Western Cape Government, and Futur-ED.

Fourteen companies attended the event including Ascensos; Boomerang; Capita; Concentrix; DSG; EXL; Foundever; IGT Solutions; TPSA; TTEC; TELUS International and WNS / Ucademy.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and mayco member for Economic Growth, James Vos, went to the event to meet some of the youths and share a few words of encouragement.

"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 now serving domestic and international clients.

"During the last financial year alone, from April 2024 to March 2025, 10 427 new jobs were created in BPO. Last year, the industry funnelled R23 billion into the metro’s economy.

"Ten years ago, just over 45 000 people worked in the BPO industry in the Western Cape, the majority of whom were based in Cape Town.

"Further, estimates 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. It would not have been possible without the City’s ongoing work with partners such as CapeBPO in which we focus on skills development in tandem with investment promotion," said Vos. 

The Day of 1 000 Opportunities is one of several initiatives overseen by CapeBPO to bolster the regional industry.

The organisation also 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.

"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," said Shaheed Hendricks, the Chief Skills Officer at CapeBPO.

"Through events like this, CapeBPO connects thousands of talented young job-seekers directly with employers, ensuring that opportunities are accessible and that potential is realised. As the industry continues to expand and create thousands of new jobs each year, we remain committed to strengthening these pathways from skills development to sustainable employment."

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