A 94% literacy rate. A generally American-based educational system. A highly skilled, low-cost, English-speaking work force. A large pool of information technology professionals and medical personnel. A cost-competitive telecommunications infrastructure.

These are just some of the reasons why the Philippines ranks among the highest in knowledge and I.T.-based outsourcing support around the world. The growing demand for global outsourcing opportunities, primarily from the United States, has given rise to an increasing supply of specialized training and support-providing facilities in the country. These facilities, of which VisionQwest is among the best-equipped, produce thousands of highly-qualified Filipino outsourcing professionals each year.

With English as a second language, the Philippines has particularly proven to be a top choice in the pioneering Medical Transcription market. A proliferation of good medical and nursing schools and institutions around the country has made the local medical industry a virtual goldmine of talent. The country, after all, is considered to be the number one “exporter” of highly skilled nurses to the U.S. And nurses, along with other medical professionals, already possess the basic qualifications for alternative, or supplementary careers as Medical Transcriptionists.

Non-medical professionals, however, also make the grade in the medical Transcription field, due to the Filipino’s high acuity of learning, and natural facility for American English. With VisionQwest's excellent training facilities, career-focused individuals develop a keener ear for the medical language, as well as mastery over grammatical and proofreading skills in just two months. Extensive hands-on training using fully-equipped simulation stations prepare them even further for future, if not immediate, employment with the company.

In recent years, many multinational companies have begun using the Philippines as their operation’s customer service hub. High proficiency in English, as well as quality work output have made the country the offshore destination of choice in Asia. Perhaps second only to India, the Philippines is rapidly catching up in the outsourcing market, and quickly gaining ground in a relatively pioneering industry.

The Philippines’ edge over other, larger offshore web and software providers is the assurance of high quality work in transcription, data encoding, and editing. An American colony for 50 years, the Philippines enjoys a semi-Western perspective on education, culture, and industry. Exposed to a steady diet of American TV, films and music, Filipinos have developed a more comfortable ear for American-style English than their Asian neighbors – a uniquely distinct advantage in audio transcription work. Particularly one as specialized and as exacting as medical stenography, where encountering difficulties in deciphering foreign accents may prove to be counter-productive and time-consuming. In the Philippines, such problems are unlikely. Three million college graduates join the workforce each year, each of them educated at institutions where American English is the medium of instruction.

Top-notch offshore support notwithstanding, the Philippine work force is also known for having a friendly and helpful attitude towards work. Hardworking driven, career-oriented Filipinos are optimistic and cheerful, resulting in better productivity in the workplace. In the high-pressure world of medical Transcription, where focus and a high level of concentration are required, a healthy attitude towards one's work can go a long way in helping to fulfill a growing industry’s goals.