AI-BASED CAREER GUIDANCE CHATBOT FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL LEAVERS

This study presents the design and implementation of an AI-Based Career Guidance Chatbot developed to support Nigerian secondary school leavers in making informed academic and career decisions. Motivated by the growing complexity of career choices and the shortage of trained counsellors in Nigeria, the system uses artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to deliver personalized, real-time guidance through a conversational interface. Using Yamane’s formula, 67 respondents were selected, and data were gathered through structured questionnaires and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results showed that most students owned smartphones (94%) and had reliable internet access (80%), indicating strong readiness for AI-driven solutions. Users expressed high satisfaction with the chatbot’s ease of use, responsiveness, and personalized recommendations, reflected in mean perception scores of 4.1–4.6 on a 5-point scale. The study also identified persistent challenges in traditional counselling, including limited counsellor availability, high studentto-counsellor ratios, and inconsistent information. These findings highlight the potential of AI systems to complement existing counselling services by providing accessible, consistent, and data-driven support. The study recommends integrating AI chatbots into school counselling programs, maintaining updated academic data, and enforcing strong data privacy practices. Overall, the system shows promise for improving decision-making, boosting student confidence, and promoting equitable access to quality career guidance in Nigeria.