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A well-known university in West Yorkshire, in collaboration with a leading education management organisation and regional employers, aimed to bridge the gap between education and employment in the financial services sector.
The Challenge
Students in business, finance, and digital-related courses often graduate without the industry-aligned skills, practical experience, and confidence required by financial services employers. Existing career support tools were generic and not tailored to the demands of the sector.
The institutions sought a solution that would:
- Provide personalised, employer-informed career guidance at scale.
- Align skills development with the needs of West Yorkshire’s financial services sector.
- Use secure AI technology that could deliver trusted, industry-specific advice without relying on unverified internet data.
The Solution
Launching an AI Career Development Toolkit
The institutions partnered with Kalisa to launch a secure AI-powered web application. Built on Kalisa’s private-by-design GenAI platform, the app uses structured, employer-provided data, industry reports, guidelines and processes to deliver reliable, tailored guidance to students. The students have access to three chat agents:
- Profile Agent: Gives students specific, actionable advice on how to improve their CVs. Instead of generic tips, it recommends changes that reflect actual employer expectations in the financial services sector.
- Skills Agent: Evaluates a student’s experience to identify the core skills they’ve demonstrated. It then suggests practical steps to strengthen or expand these skills in line with current regional industry demand.
- Interview Agent: Helps students prepare for roles available in the region and aligned with local workforce needs. It offers example answers, personalised feedback, and practical advice to build confidence and improve interview performance.
By grounding each agent in data provided directly by employers and educators, the app delivers trusted, relevant, and practical guidance that prepares students for the real demands of the financial services sector.
The Impact
By introducing the AI Application, the institutions have delivered measurable benefits for students, universities, and businesses:
- Better Career Readiness: Students are more confident and prepared for careers in financial services, equipped with skills and insights aligned to real employer needs.
- Stronger Engagement: Universities and colleges have deeper, more meaningful engagement with their students, offering personalised career support at scale.
- Employer Influence: Businesses can shape future talent pipelines by directly influencing the skills students develop before entering the workforce.
- Time and Cost Savings: Automated career consultation reduces the need for repeated one-to-one sessions, freeing up staff time and resources.
- 24/7 Availability: The platform provides round-the-clock access, enabling students to get guidance whenever they need it, without waiting for appointments.
