Get Skilled Access partners with Kiandra to launch the Field

Custom software provider Kiandra was selected by Get Skilled Access (GSA) to build the Field – an online job platform designed to connect people with disabilities to employers in a way that hasn’t been done before.

The Field is the result of an initiative delivered by Dylan Alcott AO organisation GSA, co-funded by the Australian Government. The platform is disability-led, designed, delivered, and maintained as well as accessible to five different disabilities.

Kiandra Co-Founder Martin Cooperwaite said partnering with GSA to deliver the Field was both a privilege and also a unique challenge, as the platform needed to be accessible to different disabilities in a way other sites hadn’t properly addressed before.

“Building software for accessibility at this level is about putting the people we represent first. The Field must support a range of user access needs while at the same time being accessible to those who would be maintaining the system in the long term. Kiandra leveraged the low-code platform Out Systems to support both objectives, as it is easily customizable for those maintaining the system,” Martin said.

“Our goal for the Field is to provide the closest digital experience possible for everyone, so those with disability can have equal access to digital employment tools. To achieve this, our users needed to be considered at every stage of the build, and feedback was a crucial element of this. Ongoing feedback and upgrades will ensure we continue to represent those with a disability, to showcase their strengths and abilities so they can reach employers like never before.”

Kiandra used the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Level AA, as a benchmark for the platform’s overall accessibility. Testing and user feedback led to further adjustments, so the platform catered to five different disability groups including those deaf or hard of hearing, blind or low vision, and with limited use of arms or hand mobility and intellectual disability.

The Field and GSA founder Dylan Alcott AO said “One in four Australians are estimated to have a disability, that’s around 4.4 million people – only 53 per cent of people with disability are participating in the labour force, a rate that hasn’t changed since 2003.“We wanted to create a job site that was more than simply connecting candidates with disability to employers.

We wanted a site that would level the employment exchange by prioritising accessibility features and inclusive functionality to improve the recruitment experience.

“The Field will enable job seekers to have the power to choose how they showcase their personal brand to employers through their profile, showcasing their skills, experience and accessibility requirements in the way they like to choose,” Dylan said.

Check out the Field, and if you happen to be recruiting, post an ad while you’re at it: https://www.thefield.jobs/Job/

Read the entire case study for the Field to learn more about how the platform was built:https://kiandra.com.au/casestudies/thefield