Career advice is moving into the 21st century, with a ground-breaking career chatbot being made available for public secondary students, based on cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Building on its world-leading public school generative AI tool, EdChat, the South Australian Department for Education is launching CareerChat to give students a tool they can access to provide them with the latest career information.

In addition to providing an opportunity for students to more easily access information in a way that suits them, the initiative will ensure more equitable access to career information for regional and remote students.

EdChat, which is currently available to more than 10,000 students and 2,100 teachers across 17 schools, was developed by the department in 2023 in conjunction with Microsoft to support South Australian students to use generative AI in a safe and responsible manner.

The department is continuing to develop EdChat and learn alongside these schools and teachers as they expand their use of AI to support teaching and learning.

Department for Education Chief Executive Professor Martin Westwell said, when we launched EdChat, we were very conscious of the safety and privacy aspects of this type of generative AI technology, so we developed a tool that doesn’t learn from our students’ information or share their data outside of our control.

“We have found that with those parameters in place, our students have been using this tool for very positive purposes, and in ways we hadn’t forecast to manage their own learning”.

“That is why the department is excited to see this next chapter in AI for South Australian students, with CareerChat further helping them manage their pathways and seek information when they want it and in a way they want it. Similar to our experience so far with EdChat, I don’t expect this will replace teachers or careers advisors but will help create valuable focus”, Professor Westwell said.

Leveraging the positive findings of EdChat, CareerChat has been developed by the department as a domain specific chatbot that uses generative AI to respond to student queries about career choices including their education, further and higher education, and employability skills.

School leavers today will be entering a labour market that is complex and fast-paced. Having access to information on everything career-related – from occupations in demand in South Australia to tips on writing a great resume – make it easier for young people to choose and commence a career path that matches their interests and aspirations.

CareerChat is another tool that schools can use to deliver quality career education programs. It compliments a range of curriculum and online resources that all contribute to ensuring public secondary students have the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the world of work once they leave school.

Golden Grove High School Deputy Principal Matthew Zviedrans said, CareerChat is a fantastic additional tool to support a well-embedded Career Education program such as Golden Grove High Schools’, where every teacher and leader has a responsibility.

“Our commitment to hosting a full Professional Development Day for all staff later in August will further highlight the connections between all learning areas and the pathways our students are excited to pursue beyond school”, Zviedrans said.

Enrolled South Australian Government school students can explore career pathways and start a conversation with CareerChat via the Student Pathways website.