Company: Nutun, Johannesburg, South Africa
Nomination Submitted by: Nutun Management Services
Company Description: Nutun is a global BPO leader headquartered in South Africa. With decades of experience, we lead business into the future by leveraging our innovative, omnichannel solutions across the customer experience and credit lifecycle, from customer acquisition to debt collection and rehabilitation.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Customer Service Training Team of the Year - External - Other Service Industries
 Nomination Title: The Strive Academy 's Customer Service Training Team
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2022 of the nominated team, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below.
- Briefly describe the nominated team: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 198 words used.
Nutun’s Strive Academy began as an initiative to provide employees with skills training through learnerships, enabling them to complete a National Certificate in Contact Centre Support at no cost, with dedicated study time during working hours.
In 2020, the academy expanded beyond Nutun’s workforce to address the challenges posed by the national lockdowns, offering employability and workplace readiness training to those navigating a shifting employment landscape. With a drastically limited job market and a surplus of experienced customer service professionals facing unemployment, the Strive Academy provided a pathway for individuals to enter the BPO industry and start new careers.
Today, the academy continues to transform lives, creating opportunities where others see barriers. As part of Nutun’s commitment to impact sourcing, 70% of new recruits are hired through such initiatives, reflecting the company’s dedication to fostering meaningful career opportunities for young South Africans.
The Strive Academy begins with a paid two-week workplace readiness program that includes:
- Workplace Readiness: Training in business etiquette, communication, and soft skills.
- Sector and Campaign Development: Industry-specific training focusing on cultural affinity and effective customer communication.
Through this initiative, Nutun equips unemployed youth with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in the BPO industry.
- Outline the team's achievements since July 1 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 230 words used.
Since July 1, 2022, Nutun has made significant strides in talent development through its Strive Academy, a platform dedicated to fostering the next generation of BPO professionals. The Academy serves both experienced professionals and unemployed youth, offering tailored programs to address diverse skill development needs.
A standout initiative within the Strive Academy is Grow Our Own, which targets unemployed youth, matriculants, and early school leavers with customer support experience from industries like retail or hospitality. This program includes a two-week paid Strive Training, designed to build foundational and soft skills essential for success in customer support and BPO roles. Participants benefit from improved retention rates during client product training, as they are better equipped to adapt to their work environment. Over the past year, more than 50% of Nutun's new hires have joined through this program, contributing to the creation of over 1,000 permanent career opportunities in South Africa’s BPO sector between September 2023 and September 2024.
For experienced professionals, the Strive Academy offers upskilling programs that enhance their interpersonal skills and prepare them to excel in digital environments. Both programs provide paid training, financial support, and pathways to global career opportunities, reinforcing the BPO industry as a destination of choice for offshore employment.
These initiatives highlight Nutun’s commitment to tackling unemployment, nurturing talent, and driving excellence in customer service, leaving a lasting impact on South Africa’s BPO industry.
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the team's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 162 words used.
At Nutun, we’re committed to and believe in the power of impact sourcing not just in job creation, but in changing lives for the better. In South Africa, where the youth unemployment rate sits around 45%, impact sourcing and specialized training create opportunities for young South Africans and their families.
Thanks to the phenomenal growth The Strive Academy has seen over the past three years, it is committed to supporting the GBS sector industry growth commitment of 500 000 jobs by 2030. But it’s not just the qualified candidates and the permanently employed BPO advisors who benefit from impact sourcing initiatives.
Research has shown that impact sourcing has a ripple effect. This research has shown that stable employment provided by impact sourcing led to income increases of between 40% and an awe-inspiring 200%, income that can help to support up to six family members. In effect, the change in trajectory of one individual can alter the trajectory of an entire family’s lives.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 50 words used.
On the evidence attached you will find evidence of the following:
1. Strive Academt Training Stats (slide 2) from 2023 and 2024
2. Headcount & Impact Sourcing Stats (Slide 3)
2. Testimonials from our strive trainees (slide 4 and 5)
3. Video of The Strive Academy (link on slide 5)
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