A World's First - Virtual Cloud Platform Helps Disabled and Disadvantaged into the Workforce

    BOSTON, MA, May 03, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Two US companies have joined forces to create the world's first virtual knowledge share, learning and workforce development platform to help disadvantaged people get back into the workforce.

Project Starfish and Boston's Zonopact Inc are collaborating as a part of Zonopact's Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative to help professionals with disabilities (including the blind and visually impaired), veterans, single parents and students get into meaningful employment.

Social enterprise company Project Starfish came up with the workforce development model whilst Zonopact, an innovative cloud software development company, gave Starfish use of its cloud software platform CLINTRA free of charge.

Zonopact's integrated cloud environment has Customer Relationship Management, Training, Human Capital Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Project Management, Collaboration and Innovation tools - resources that perfectly fit the needs of the complex nature of the workforce development Project Starfish provides.

Founder of Project Starfish, Subhashish Acharya explained: "Unfortunately, in this current economic climate, it is people with disabilities, veterans, single parents and students who are finding it the most difficult to get onto the job market.

"Project Starfish was set up three years ago specifically to train this highly motivated client group and get them job ready. We help them learn new skills, gain relevant work experience, access professional business networking and provide them with a springboard to create opportunities for themselves...making them as attractive to future employers as we can."

He continued: "With Zonopact, we aim to support a further seven million blind/visually-impaired unemployed adults; 18 million single mothers; millions of disabled, homeless, and out of work veterans and their spouses; and 94.5 million graduate students who are not in the workforce.

"It seems like a huge amount of people, but if we can even reach out to 1% of this audience, our job is done."

President and CEO of Zonopact Inc, Mayur Ramgir said: "As a responsible citizen of this world, we simply cannot ignore our responsibilities towards society. It makes no sense to turn our back on those who are struggling due to circumstances beyond their control.

"As a business professional, I firmly believe that there should at least be a platform that creates equal learning, opportunity, inclusiveness and diversity and I am willing to go the extra mile to bring happiness and prosperity to all."

With the help of Zonopact, Project Starfish will be launching the "60 Minutes 2 Impact", a program where successful business professionals are invited to share their knowledge, skills and experience for 60 minutes live over Free Conference lines, which are accessible to 60 countries free of charge.

Zonopact, is also creating paid internships for Project Starfish members who are blind or visually impaired. The aim of the internships will be to help members develop real business skills and work experience in areas like sales, business research, communication, and public relations.

Project Starfish has created hundreds of jobs and opportunities for blind professionals in more than ten countries using remote technology. Many work for the company as recruiters, sourcers, customer service, sales, business research and analysis and operations. They have also helped people with other disadvantages to gain work or training for a range of industries including IT, video gaming, services, management consulting, writing and green energy businesses.

The company has an open door policy to training where anyone - whether they are blind or visually impaired, disabled, a veteran, students, single mothers or unemployed - can get their help. They believe everyone should be given a chance to get a job they want no matter what their disabilities or disadvantages are.

Zonopact, Inc. is an innovative software development company known for its cloud software Clintra (www.clintra.com). Clintra provides more than 55 essential applications, which help organizations manage their end-to-end business operations from one easy-to-use interface.

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