UK's First On-line Job Search Service Launched

Triad Group PLC 10 January 2000 TRIAD LAUNCHES UK's FIRST ON-LINE JOB SEARCH SERVICE FOR IT CONTRACTING MARKET 'onlineITcontractors.com' One of the biggest developments in the £5 billion UK IT contractor market is announced today. Triad Group Plc, the information systems and software consultancy company, has launched the first on-line job search service for the IT contracting market in the UK and subsequently in Europe. This will complement its already established and highly successful presence in the IT contracting and consulting market. The new Internet based service, named 'onlineITcontractors.com', is expected to enhance significantly the market for contract IT staff in the UK, by making it faster and more cost effective than ever before. It is expected to make a positive contribution to Triad's profitability and growth beginning in the company's financial year starting 1st April 2000. Triad's new service will enable client companies to display requirements for contract IT staff, which can then be accessed by any IT contractor via the Internet. The service will reduce substantially the time taken by client companies to fill their IT requirements. It will also reduce the time taken for IT contractors to find assignments which meet their requirements. 'onlineITcontractors.com' runs on a sophisticated software system which filters both the CVs of available IT contractors and the requirements of client companies to match those most suited together. There are over 100,000 IT contractors in the UK. Triad has a database of over 75% of them. The service is easy to use for both client companies and IT contractors. Client companies can place requirements on the site via an Internet browser. Once familiar with the service, they can update the requirements themselves through an automated on-line facility. The service allows client companies and contractors to communicate directly, reducing time delays and the cost of intermediaries. IT contractors wanting to apply for specific requirements can do so by an Internet browser. The service has the potential to develop into a trading portal to deliver many complementary services to both client companies and IT contractors. This new initiative will not affect the uncertainty over the current year's results to March 2000, which has been reported in previous trading statements. The current year results will be the subject of an update in the Chairman's Statement accompanying the announcement of the interim results (for the half year to 30th September 1999) on Thursday 13th January 2000. John Rigg, Chairman of Triad, commented: 'Demand for contract IT staff in the UK has boomed over the last few years, and this growth is expected to continue in years to come. Triad's new service recognises the benefits of using the Internet as a business to business (B2B) tool. 'onlineITcontractors.com' is the UK's first dedicated e-procurement placement system for IT contractors. It is a huge step forward in the development of an efficient market for contract IT staff placement. 'Unlike most recruitment web sites, the quality control and value added aspect of the service is key. Sophisticated software compares the CVs of IT contractors with the requirements of client companies to find the most appropriate match. 'onlineITcontractors.com' will make the process of placing the best people in the best jobs faster and more controlled in certain situations than the process offered by traditional contract agencies. 'Indications are that the market for B2B e-commerce is set to grow very rapidly this calendar year. There are substantial opportunities available in the development of business processes using the Internet. Triad is now one of the UK's first companies in place to take advantage of these 'e-business' opportunities. I am confident that 'onlineITcontractors.com' will make a very strong contribution to the future development of Triad, as well as representing a major development in the IT contracting industry. ' Editors Note: Triad Group Plc is a well established software consultancy and systems house, which was listed on the UK Stock Exchange in 1996. Triad specialises in e- commerce applications for the telecommunications, financial services and media sectors. Triad also has leading expertise in the integration of front and back end e-commerce developments into the existing IT infrastructures of clients. Part of Triad's activities involves the placement of IT contractors and the above new service will complement and expand existing activities. For further information contact: Mira Makar, Chief Executive Triad Group Plc 01483 860 222 Ian Haynes, Director Triad Group Plc 01908 544 401 Jonathan Shillington City Profile Group Ltd 0171 726 8588 Rebecca Jewers City Profile Group Ltd 0171 726 8588

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