BEIJING, March 30 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- ATA Inc.
(Nasdaq: ATAI) ("ATA", or the "Company"), the leading provider of
computer-based testing services in China, announced today the launch of a groundbreaking personnel selection solution, 'HR Select', to assist enterprises in China in achieving low-cost, high efficiency, high precision talent evaluation and selection.
'HR Select' is an innovative and comprehensive solution for talent selection based around ATA's testing service. Through intelligent resume analysis, the solution can screen, filter and manage eligible resume data through a process that is flexible, fast and accurate. The core of 'HR Select' solution is the bundling of test tools designed around competency models, providing enterprises with our market-leading test service to assess and select the right candidate, systematically reducing risk of wrong hiring.
In developing this solution, ATA has conducted research on 150,000 different job skill sets, covering several areas of competency, including IT, foreign languages, finance, accounting, management, and legal. ATA has also cooperated with leading institutions such as ETS and SHL to set up test items covering 600 positions with 1,000 evaluation modules and a test item bank containing millions of test questions.
"We are leveraging what we do best, testing, in our 'HR Select' solution to target the largely untapped but developing assessment aspect of the recruitment market," commented Walter Wang, President of ATA. "Our 'HR Select' tool offers an easy, efficient way to screen talented people, helping recruitment directors make better and more accurate hiring decisions and ultimately lowering their recruitment cost. The 'HR Select' platform launch marks our entry into the assessment area of the recruitment market across all industry verticals. This builds on the success we enjoyed in 2008 with our existing enterprise customer base in the financials vertical of leading banks and insurance companies. With 10 years of experience in the testing market in China and a wide range of globally recognized assessment tools offered, this platform is set to greatly enhance the recruitment process by making testing service available to enterprises across China. We aim to work together with current leaders in the HR market that provide resume sourcing to enlarge the total addressable market and provide a win-win solution."
Mr. Christos Malliaros, corporate management consultant from SHL, said in his speech: "Testing in recruitment is a well-recognized concept for most Western countries. ATA has creatively built its 'HR Select' solution through the integration of a wide range of test content including the SHL Occupational Aptitude Test, to bring the concept of recruitment testing into systematic use in China for the first time. The birth of 'HR Select' is undoubtedly of profound significance for enterprises to implement a strategy for the efficient management human resources that maximizes return on talents. We are very pleased to cooperate with the ATA, and the outstanding contributions the Company has made in this field."
Over 300 representatives from enterprises and trade associations attended the launch press conference held in Beijing on March 27, 2009.
In the next few weeks ATA will hold product description conferences for 'HR Select' in 18 cities nationwide including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, to comprehensively display the concept, its advantages and technical characteristics. The company will invite guests from various leading enterprises and institutions to experience the breakthrough brought by 'HR Select'.
For more information about 'HR Select' products and activities, please visit the official Chinese website http://www.xuancai.cn .
About ATA Inc.:
ATA is the leading provider of computer-based testing services in China. The Company offers comprehensive services for the creation and delivery of computer-based tests based on its proprietary testing technologies and test delivery platform. The Company's computer-based testing services are used for professional licensure and certification tests in various industries, including information technology, or IT, services, banking, teaching, securities, insurance and accounting. ATA's test center network is comprised of 1,918 authorized test centers located throughout China as of December 31, 2008, which the Company believes is the largest test center network of any commercial testing service provider in China. Combined with its test delivery technologies, this network allows ATA's clients to administer large-scale nationwide tests in a consistent, secure and cost-effective manner. ATA has delivered over 27 million tests including 17.8 million billable tests since it commenced operations in 1999, and in June 2008 delivered tests to approximately 470,000 test takers over a single weekend for the China Banking Association through its test delivery platform. For further information, please visit: http://www.ata.net.cn .
Safe-Harbor Statement
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "look forward to," "outlook," "forecast," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "future," "intend," "plan," "believe," "estimate" and similar terminology. These and any other forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable and accurate, the Company cannot assure you that those expectations will turn out to be correct. For additional information on these and other important factors that could adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects, please refer to a more detailed discussion of the Company's risk factors in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information, please contact:
ATA Inc.
Carl Yeung, CFO
Tel: +86-10-6518-1122 x5107
Email: ir@ata.net.cn
Web: http://www.ata.net.cn
CCG Investor Relations
Crocker Coulson, President
Tel: +1-646-213-1915
Email: crocker.coulson@ccgir.com
Ed Job, CFA
Tel: +1-646-213-1914
Email: ed.job@ccgir.com
Web: http://www.ccgir.com
