MANILA - The business process outsourcing industry is poised to generate the most jobs this year, a recruitment portal said Tuesday, notwithstanding concerns over the industry's shift to artificial intelligence.

Jobs in the retail and manufacturing industries will also be in demand this year, according to Jobstreet.com.

In-demand BPO specializations have expanded to finance, accounting and information technology aside from call centers. The sector posted the most job openings last year, when over-all postings rose 14 percent, according to Jobstreet.com's outlook report.

"This industry has been hiring candidates for many different specializations. They are not just hiring for customer service," Jobstreet.com Philippines country marketing manager Cielo Javier said.

• BPO ripe for skills upgrade as growth nears 'plateau,' gov't says

• BPOs to feel artificial intelligence 'reality' in next 3 to 5 years: Pernia

Growth in the BPO sector is reaching a "plateau," underscoring the need for its workers to upgrade their skills and ride on the industry's shift to AI, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in January.

Strong demand for BPO workers based on postings on Jobstreet.com despite the rise of AI showed "talents are still able to do the job for them, even if the roles are evolving."

This year, the BPO sector will be hiring customer service agents, telesales and telemarketing staff, technical and help desk support, and IT related positions for both hardware and software, according to the report.

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The retail sector will offer positions related to general sales, marketing, human resources, and purchasing or material and warehouse management, the report said.

In manufacturing, in-demand jobs include general finance, cost accounting, sales, purchasing or material and warehouse management, customer service and mechanical engineering, the report said.

Demand from BPOs as well as K to 12 or the addition of 2 years in primary education, will drive job growth in the teaching sector,

The education sector, driven by business process outsourcing related teaching jobs, is also likely to hire more with the influx of K-12 graduates joining the market this year, it said.