4,500 new employees in the Philippines shows the hunger for offshore services has not abated.

Outsourcing specialist Convergys is bucking to the global downsizing trend in announcing plans to expand its operations in the Philippines by employing 4,500 additional agents.

With a target of filling the positions by February next year, the new recruits will push Convergys well past the milestone of 20,000 employees - the figure currently stands at 18,000.

The additional people will bolster staffing levels at the 12 contact centres Convergys operates in the Philippines.

Marife Zamora, Convergys vice president and country manager says the move is confirmation of the good job the centres were doing building and maintaining customer relationships. “The continued demand from our blue chip international clients to place their operations either partially or fully in the Philippines is a testament to the quality of service our agents provide on a daily basis.”