GETTING York mums back to work is the focus of an expanding firm which is creating a base in the city.

Management consultant Peter Hartas has joined forces with Bradford-based career management experts Blue Tree to help people in York take control of their careers.

Mr Harras aims to help a range of people get themselves back into the workplace, from mothers wanting to get a job after a career break to people who have been made redundant.

He will also give advice to people wanting to change careers and executives wanting to get ahead.

At first, he will be working from his home in Baile Hill Terrace, Bishophill, York. But Blue Tree is trying to find him a business premises in the city.

He joins the company as it expands during its second year. He will offer clients advice on how to write CVs and improve their prospects as part of a personalized career coaching service.

With a background in management, insurance, and mobile communications, Mr Harras passed his MBA with the Open University Business School in 2002 and turned to Blue Tree for career advice.

"I was looking to take control of my career and tried a number of other firms but they were unable to offer me the same combination of programmes and prices. I was so impressed with the quality of the service that when I was given the opportunity I chose to join Blue Tree's dynamic team," he said.

The firm hopes its work will help encourage women to consider working in non-traditional roles, as well as in jobs more commonly associated with women. This would help counter the skills shortage in North Yorkshire.

Alan Gleghorn, of Blue Tree, said: "Blue Tree really has hit a niche in the market - people are very keen to make changes to their lives and careers but don't know quite how to do it.

"We are already helping clients in North and East Yorkshire. We are currently working with a sales director who is completely changing his career, as well as a retail manager with over 28 years' experience, who is also changing career paths."

He said: "We've worked with a single mum who wanted to leave a job in production supervision in a kitchen maker's to become a territory manager for a large national company which makes French pastry. And we've helped someone made redundant from the mining industry to move into furniture manufacturing."

Updated: 10:07 Friday, May 21, 2004