Inside the Maxed Academy: training young Kenyans for customer careers
How the Maxed Academy prepares young people with little work experience for paid roles in customer service and digital work, and why it matters to the clients they serve.
On this page
Maxed BPO started in 2015 as a bet that Kenyan talent could deliver premium outsourcing. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity and training are not. In 2023 we formalised how we develop people by launching the Maxed Academy.
Who the Academy is for
The Academy trains young people with limited work experience. Many are recent school or university leavers who have the ability to do great work but have never had the chance to prove it.
What trainees learn
The programme focuses on the skills that customer-facing and digital roles need every day:
- Communication: clear spoken and written English, listening and tone.
- Customer service: handling questions and complaints with empathy and ownership.
- Digital skills: working confidently in helpdesks, CRMs and productivity tools.
- Professional habits: reliability, teamwork and taking feedback.
Training mixes classroom sessions, practice scenarios and assessments, so trainees leave knowing what good looks like.
From training to paid work
The aim is employment, not just a certificate. Graduates move into paid roles, many of them within Maxed BPO teams serving clients around the world. According to our success stories, the Academy has produced more than 500 graduates, 78% of whom have been hired, across six cohorts a year.
Why it matters to clients
The Academy is good for the communities we work in, and it is also good for the clients we serve:
- 1A steady pipeline of trained people, which helps new programmes ramp up quickly.
- 2Consistent foundations, because every graduate learns the same standards.
- 3Loyalty and retention, since people who are given a start and a path tend to stay.
- 4Impact sourcing, which many clients value as part of their own social goals.
Career paths after the Academy
Joining as an agent is the start, not the end. Clear promotion paths lead to senior agent, team lead, quality, training and management roles, with promotion on merit. Several of today's team leads started on the floor.
How clients can get involved
Some clients choose to fund Academy places as part of their social impact work. If that interests you, get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Maxed Academy start?
In 2023, building on Maxed BPO's focus on hiring, training and fair pay since 2015.
Can clients take part?
Yes. Clients can support the programme, including by funding Academy places.
Read more about our history, our community work and careers at Maxed BPO.
Topics
- Maxed Academy
- training
- youth employment
Maxed BPO team
Outsourcing specialists in Nairobi
Written by the people who recruit, train and run outsourced teams at Maxed BPO every day.
