NEW hi-tech help is just the job for Prestwich people looking for work.

For a bank of computer terminals has arrived at the town's Job Centre in Rectory Lane to replace the traditional rows of display boards with cards advertising job vacancies.

Now, in their place, is equipment known as "Jobpoints" which are electronic touch terminals that have access to every Job Centre vacancy in the country. And that's more than 400,000 jobs.

Prestwich jobseekers can now select from a user-friendly screen the type of work they are looking for, as well as the location they are prepared to travel to.

The "Jobpoint" then produces a list of vacancies to match the requirements of jobseekers which can be printed off with a full description. These new terminals are as easy to use as cash machines, with simple step-by-step instructions to follow.

For people operating them for the first time, helpful Job Centre staff are on hand to assist.

Having decided which vacancies they wish to apply for, jobseekers can then discuss them with staff.

Alternatively, they can telephone the vacancy call centre, Employment Service Direct, on 0845 6060 234 and an adviser will help them to apply.

Prestwich Job Centre manager Linda Hindley said: "Jobpoints will provide a tremendous help to local jobseekers and they have been designed with wheelchair users in mind.

"The traditional vacancy boards limited the number of jobs we could display at any one time whereas Jobpoints are linked directly to our national bank of more than 400,000 instantly updated vacancies."

She added: "People now have the flexibility to look for work anywhere in the country and have access to European and international vacancies too, all at the touch of a screen."

The new system represents the latest part of Employment Service's far-reaching modernisation programme which will improve access to Job Centre services for both jobseekers and employers.

After launching Europe's biggest jobs, training and careers website, "Worktrain," the Employment Service is planning to open a new phone-based customer service centre for the North West towards the end of the year.