At a time when most discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) are focused on potential job losses, one sector is poised to use this technology for good: careers advice.
Instead of making counselors obsolete, AI can help them provide personalized, timely, and cost-effective support, ensuring more young people and unemployed adults have a fulfilling future.
The state of UK careers advice has been under a lot of pressure. Investment has fallen, with spending on improving school pupils’ careers falling from £159 per pupil in 2009 to just £68 today, according to the Gatsby Foundation. For adults, the drop is almost a third, from £35 to £26. Yet quality guidance remains a key factor in achieving long-term employment success. Evidence from the Investing in Careers report shows that for every £1 spent on career support, there is an average return of £2.50 to schools and £3.20 to unemployed adults.
This glaring resource gap points to the need for innovation. Enter AI: a powerful tool that can simplify everything from screening career paths to polishing CVs and perfecting interview techniques. Using advanced machine learning, advisors can quickly identify transferable skills, highlight emerging industries, and adapt to changing job markets. Indeed, LinkedIn predicts that by 2030, the skills required for jobs worldwide will have changed by at least 65%, making it even more urgent that UK careers services improve to remain competitive.
Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE, author of the new Careers 2035 report, sees a transformative role for AI in this sector. “Access to AI-enhanced services can help ensure that all people benefit,” he says. “The future of career guidance must not end with innovation but encourage the breaking down of barriers, ensuring that no one is left behind.”
Embracing AI is not about removing the human element, but rather enhancing it. Career counselors play an important role: personal contact and empathy are irreplaceable, and the little insight they bring to individual situations. However, by using AI tools, counselors can more effectively use their limited time, potentially support a larger number of people and tailor guidance more precisely to individual needs.
Chris Glennie, chief executive of Morrisby, one of the most respected career guidance platforms in the UK, insists that mentors remain vital to the process. You know the challenges they face: recent research indicates that 21% of counselors plan to leave the job within two years, and the average salary for careers workers stands at around £28,000, which is often less than entry-level teachers or institutional trainers, despite equal demand. professional levels and qualifications.
“Although career development professionals take pride in their work, they don’t always see it as appreciated,” notes Glennie. Yet he sees AI as providing new opportunities for meaningful engagement. Advisors can shape how these technologies develop—by advising on best practices, testing AI-generated content, and working with app developers to refine their accuracy and compatibility. AI can be a reliable partner, rather than a disruptive influence.
In schools, the introduction of AI can bring about a quiet revolution. Most high schools and colleges are obliged to offer careers guidance from Year 7 to Year 13, but recent data from the Careers & Enterprise Company shows that 11% of students are still missing out on a one-to-one chat with a qualified adviser. at the end of year 11. AI-driven tools can help fill these gaps. They may provide initial insight—helping students identify interests, strengths, and potential career paths—before assigning an in-person mentor for an in-depth discussion. By handling initial fact-finding and general inquiries, these systems free up employees to focus on in-depth, personalized support.
Tom Ravenscroft, founder of the Skills Builder Partnership (a group that supports educational institutions in preparing young people for the future demands of the workforce), points out that AI can also help career professionals stay up to date with changing job environments. “Given how quickly career paths and technical courses are developing, ensuring that mentors and young people have flexible, up-to-date knowledge is important,” he said. AI systems that continuously update guidelines based on emerging trends, newly created job roles, or shifts in industry demand can give advisors and their clients an edge.
Accepting AI-backed career advice isn’t a silver bullet, of course. Funding challenges still need to be addressed, and the government needs to recognize the huge social and economic value of skilled counsellors. But AI can be the catalyst that lifts the direction of work from the current lack of capital and into a powerful, accessible space. In doing so, it could not only protect the UK’s position in a highly competitive global marketplace, but also ensure that more people find more rewarding, sustainable career paths.
What is clear is that with the right approach—and a willingness to combine human ingenuity with technological innovation—the UK careers advice sector could be on the cusp of a new era, where everyone, regardless of background or situation, can look to them. the future with great hope and great clarity.
