A HIGH TECH internet system will soon be helping disabled people to find the ideal job, thanks to Crucial Interactive Media.
The New Deal for Disabled People - funded by central government - has chosen the York-based internet provider to build an extranet system to be trialed first North Yorkshire.
New Deal advisors will be visiting disabled people in their homes, armed with laptop computers connected to the internet via mobile phones.
Interview data will be punched into a central database over the internet, and will be matched immediately to employment opportunities suiting that particular person.
"It's an exciting project for us, and one with enormous social benefits," said CIM's James Houston.
"At the moment there's a huge amount of paper and bureaucracy in the system. This internet solution will mean that within minutes, an advisor will be able to pinpoint suitable employment opportunities and help get the client into fulfilling work.
"CIM has extensive experience in developing web-based recruitment systems - one client site now attracts one million hits per month and generates enormous profits," he continued.
"But we are committed to exploiting the social benefits of the web, and are delighted to be working with the New Deal for Disabled People on this project."
Established five years ago, CIM's first major internet project was for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and involved developing search facilities around several hundred research findings and social policy publications.
Current commercial clients include Northern Foods, CGU and theBookseller.
It is expected the New Deal system will be introduced elsewhere in the country after its introduction in North Yorkshire. Partners in the development include City of York Council and Future Prospects.
