AudioEye and Bender Consulting Services Create New Employment Opportunities in Disability Community

TUCSON, Ariz. –  March 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – AudioEye, Inc. (NASDAQ: AEYE), the industry-leading digital accessibility platform delivering website and app accessibility compliance to businesses of all sizes, and Bender Consulting Services, Inc(opens in a new tab), a non-profit, committed to expanding opportunities for employment of people with disabilities from youth through adulthood, today announced a partnership to provide Bender’s Leadership Academy alumni with employment and networking opportunities as part of the AudioEye’s disability community (AudioEye A11iance). The AudioEye A11iance offers individuals with disabilities various employment opportunities, including website accessibility testing, quality assurance, and training.

“The AudioEye A11iance program is an ideal place for Bender alumni to practice the skills they learn at Bender’s DigitalAccess@Work program, gain professional experience, and build connections that could lead to more opportunities,” said Joyce Bender, founder and Board Chair of the Bender Leadership Academy and CEO of Bender Consulting Services, Inc. “Through our partnership with AudioEye, we can move faster towards our goal of creating employment equity for people with disabilities, which we know begins with training and professional development that we are so proud to do at the Academy.”  

In its first year, the AudioEye A11iance created jobs and digital accessibility learning opportunities for more than 70 assistive technology users who tested 900 customer websites and provided critical feedback to AudioEye’s product development. 

“Working with AudioEye has provided me with regular reliable income from work I enjoy doing, giving me a measure of freedom I haven’t had before. I’m even thinking of taking a vacation for the first time in over 30 years,” said Maxwell Ivey, AudioEye A11iance member, an award-winning author of the Blind Blogger(opens in a new tab), and a podcast host. “Knowing that my work is valued and makes a difference has meant a lot to me personally, and helped me build confidence to take on new projects. We all know just how much believing in yourself or in your work can change your outlook. Realizing that I do have expertise in accessibility opened me up to other opportunities, including paid speaking engagements. I’m excited for my future with AudioEye, and I can’t wait to work with some of the Bendor Leadership Academy graduates.”

“We’re excited to join forces with Bender on this critical initiative,” said Dominic Varacalli, AudioEye COO. “The unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities remains twice as high as the national average, and it won’t change unless we create opportunities that are designed with the disability community in mind. We look forward to welcoming Bender graduates into the AudioEye community, where they can grow their professional careers and networks, build new friendships, and contribute to creating a more accessible internet.”