Whanganui business provides new earning opportunities with online training

Scott Lee, operations manager with Whanganui company GPSOS, has trained a new batch of staff and contractors who can work from home. Photo / Bevan Conley

Many of us have seen an increase in our ability to communicate digitally during the past few weeks and now a group of Whanganui people have increased their earning potential through online training during the Covid-19 emergency.

Scott Lee, operations manager with Whanganui company GPSOS, provided online training to 18 new home-based staff from around New Zealand during level 4 and has now trained a further 25 people as contractors to sell medical alarms on a percentage basis.

GPSOS first released its medical alarm technology last year, after a friend of the founder, Mark Simmonds, was unable to activate their standard medical alert pendant due to a stroke.

Simmonds sourced New Zealand designed and made alarms - the GP7.0 watch model and the GP1000 pendant, which provide two-way communication, the person's location within 10 metres, as well as fall detection and other features.

"We have been working with the Ministry of Social Development and Workbridge to train more people and online training has been going very well," Lee said.

"If we're supporting customers with disabilities, then we must hire people with disabilities. We want to use our company to provide opportunities. Our product has always been about enabling people to be confident navigating the world around them, [and] we want that to be the same in our workplace."

Workbridge manager Jan Lawton said it is brilliant to see so many Workbridge clients employed by the company but also others becoming work-ready.

"The online training means that they are able to step into a job as soon as there's a vacancy.

"For people with mobility issues, it is great if they don't have to travel for work and for others it is a struggle to meet petrol costs.

"Completing the online training is also a huge confidence boost."

There are 25 people with disabilities already working on-site in Whanganui to monitor alarms 24 hours a day over three shifts.

The popularity of the GPSOS alarms means the company is now expanding and wants to extend its influence through equity crowdfunding.

GPSOS is working with equity crowdfunding platform PledgeMe to grow the business and ensure it continues to enhance New Zealand's people and economy.

"We've spent almost four years building our technology and our team; now we need the final funds to scale," Simmonds said.

GPSOS is seeking to raise between $250,000 and $600,000 which represents 9.4 to 20 per cent of the company. Shares are $5 each with a minimum investment of $100 for 20 shares. Investors who pledge more than $50,000 will receive voting shares.

To find out more visit gpsos.co.nz