At a time when much of the conversation around artificial intelligence (AI) focuses on potential job losses, one industry is poised to leverage this technology for good: career consulting.
Rather than making advisors redundant, AI could help them provide more personalized, timely, and cost-effective support, helping more young people and unemployed adults find fulfilling futures.
The UK career advice landscape is under great pressure. Investment has fallen sharply: according to the Gatsby Foundation, spending on pupils’ career development has fallen from £159 per pupil in 2009 to just £68 today. For adults the drop is almost a third, from £35 to £26. Yet quality guidance remains a crucial factor in achieving long-term employment success. Evidence from the Investing in Careers report shows that for every £1 spent on careers support, there is an average return of £2.50 in schools and £3.20 for unemployed adults.
This glaring shortage of resources points to the need for innovation. Introducing AI: a powerful tool that can streamline everything from exploring career paths to improving resumes and sharpening interview techniques. Using advanced machine learning, advisors can quickly identify transferable skills, highlight growth sectors and adapt to changing labor markets. LinkedIn predicts that by 2030, the skills required for jobs worldwide will have changed by at least 65%, making it increasingly urgent that the UK’s careers services modernize to remain competitive.
Dr. Deirdre Hughes OBE, author of the new Careers 2035 report, sees a transformative role for AI in the sector. “Access to fair, AI-enabled resources can ensure that all individuals can benefit,” she says. “The future of career guidance must not only embrace innovation, but also advocate for breaking down barriers so that no one is left behind.”
Embracing AI is not about removing the human element, but about enhancing it. Career advisors play an essential role: personal contact and empathy are irreplaceable, just like the nuanced insight they bring into the circumstances of each individual. However, by using AI tools, advisors can make more efficient use of their limited time, potentially supporting a larger number of people and tailoring guidance more precisely to individual needs.
Chris Glennie, CEO of Morrisby, one of the UK’s most respected career guidance platforms, is confident that advisers will remain at the heart of the process. He recognizes the challenges they face: recent research shows that 21% of consultants plan to leave the profession within two years, and that the average salary for career staff is around £28,000, often lower than that of entry-level teachers or coaches at job centres, despite requiring equivalent pay. levels of expertise and qualifications.
“Although career development professionals take pride in their work, they don’t always feel that it is appreciated,” notes Glennie. Yet he sees that AI offers new opportunities for meaningful engagement. Advisors could shape how these technologies evolve – by advising on best practices, auditing AI-generated content, and working with software developers to refine their accuracy and relevance. AI can become a trusted ally, rather than a disruptive influence.
For schools, the introduction of AI can bring about a quiet revolution. Many secondary schools and colleges are required to offer careers guidance from Year 7 to Year 13, but recent data from the Careers & Enterprise Company shows that 11% of students still have a one-to-one chat with a qualified school advisor is missing. end of year 11. AI-powered tools could help fill such gaps. They can provide initial insights – helping students identify their interests, strengths and potential career paths – before handing it over to a human advisor for a deeper conversation. By handling initial fact-finding and routine questions, these systems free up staff to focus on more in-depth, personalized support.
Tom Ravenscroft, founder of the Skills Builder Partnership (a group that supports educational institutions in preparing young people for future workplace demands), points out that AI can also help career professionals stay abreast of rapidly changing job landscapes. “Given the speed at which career paths and technical courses are evolving, it is essential that advisors and young people have flexible, up-to-date information,” he says. AI systems that continuously update guidelines based on emerging trends, newly created roles, or shifts in industry demand can give advisors and their clients an edge.
Of course, adopting AI-enabled career advice is not a panacea. Funding issues still need to be addressed, and government must recognize the enormous social and economic value of skilled advisors. But AI could be the catalyst that lifts career guidance out of its current funding gap and into a more dynamic, accessible space. By doing so, it could not only secure Britain’s position in a fiercely competitive global marketplace, but also ensure that countless individuals find more rewarding, sustainable career paths.
What is clear is that with the right approach – and a willingness to combine human expertise with technological innovation – the UK careers advice sector could be on the cusp of a new era, where everyone, regardless of background or circumstance, can look to future with more hope and clarity.