CAREER COMPASS

~ Guiding You to the Right Path

Rajiv Gandhi University Of Knowledge Technologies

SRIKAKULAM

MINOR PROJECT
TEAM:
1. Pepakayala Gayathri Muni Sahiti (S200149)

2. Bevara Saranya (S200157)

3. Padaga Jaya Bhagya Sri (S200160)

Abstract

Choosing the right career path and acquiring relevant skills are essential for students,
especially those who have completed 10th, 12th, and B.Tech. However, many
students struggle due to a lack of proper career guidance, limited knowledge about
courses, colleges, and trending domains, and financial constraints. To address these
challenges, this project aims to develop an CAREER COMPASS an AI-integrated
career guidance chatbot that provides personalized recommendations based on
students interests, academic background, and financial situation.

The chatbot will assist students in exploring various career options, suggesting
engineering streams, and providing detailed information about colleges, courses,
entrance exams, fees, and rankings. Additionally, it will offer insights into trending
domains and the essential skills required for different career paths. For students with
financial constraints, the chatbot will suggest scholarships, eligibility criteria, and
application processes, ensuring they have access to higher education opportunities.

For B.Tech students, the chatbot will also serve as a learning assistant by providing
guidance on acquiring new skills. It will recommend relevant programming languages,
technical skills, and industry-relevant certifications based on their field of study and
career aspirations. The chatbot will provide free course links from platforms like
Coursera, Udemy, edX, NPTEL, and YouTube, allowing students to upskill and stay
updated with the latest industry trends.

Built using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML), the
chatbot will analyze user queries and deliver intelligent, accurate responses. The
system will be deployed as a web-based application with a login/signup feature,
allowing students to save their progress and revisit recommendations. It will utilize
datasets from government portals (NSP, AICTE, UGC), Kaggle, and educational
platforms to ensure up-to-date and reliable information.

To enhance user experience, Generative AI will be integrated to provide real-time,

interactive career guidance, helping students make informed decisions about their
future. This AI-powered solution aims to bridge the gap in career counseling, provide
skill development resources, recommend online courses, and guide students toward
successful career paths, making it a comprehensive career and learning assistant for
students at different educational stages.
Introduction to the Project

In today's fast-changing world, students face numerous challenges when it comes to

choosing their career paths and acquiring the right skills. Many students who
complete 10th and 12th grade struggle to decide which stream to pursue, which
college to choose, or what courses to take based on their interests and future career
goals. Similarly, B.Tech students often find it difficult to identify trending domains,
learn new skills, and stay industry-ready. The lack of proper career counseling,
limited access to reliable information, and financial constraints further add to these
challenges.

To address these issues, this project aims to develop an CareerCompass that will
assist students in making informed decisions about their careers. The chatbot will
provide personalized recommendations for students who have completed 10th,
12th, and B.Tech by suggesting career paths, college and course details,
trending domains, and scholarship opportunities. Additionally, it will help B.Tech
students in learning new skills by recommending free and paid online courses
relevant to their field of study.

This chatbot will leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning
(ML) to analyze user inputs and provide intelligent, real-time responses. It will be
integrated into a web-based application with a login/signup feature, enabling
students to track their progress and revisit recommendations whenever needed. The
system will use verified datasets from government portals (NSP, AICTE, UGC),
Kaggle, and educational platforms to ensure up-to-date and accurate information.

By incorporating Generative AI, the chatbot will offer a highly interactive and
dynamic experience, guiding students through various career options, skill-building
resources, and financial aid opportunities. This project aims to bridge the gap in
career counseling, empower students with knowledge, and help them make
confident decisions about their future.
Literature Review
Career guidance plays a vital role in shaping a student's future by helping them make
informed decisions about their education and profession. Traditional career
counseling methods often involve in-person interactions, career fairs, and academic
advisors. However, with the rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and
Natural Language Processing (NLP), AI-driven chatbots have emerged as a
scalable and accessible solution for providing career guidance to students.

Several studies and projects have explored the effectiveness of AI-based career
guidance systems. Research by Gong et al. (2020) highlights the growing role of AI
chatbots in education, emphasizing their ability to provide personalized
recommendations based on user inputs. These chatbots use machine learning
algorithms to analyze a student’s academic performance, interests, and career
aspirations, thereby suggesting suitable career paths.

Additionally, studies on intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) indicate that AI-powered

tools can significantly enhance student engagement and decision-making (Kumar
et al., 2019). Many educational institutions and online learning platforms, such as
Coursera, Udemy, and edX, use AI to suggest courses based on a user’s interests
and career goals. Integrating similar AI-driven recommendations in career guidance
chatbots can make career counseling more efficient, personalized, and widely
accessible.

Existing AI career recommendation systems, such as those implemented by

LinkedIn Learning and CareerExplorer, rely on data-driven approaches to suggest
job roles, skills, and courses. These systems use big data analytics and career
trend predictions to guide users toward suitable career choices. However, many of
these platforms focus on professionals rather than students who are just starting their
career journey. This highlights the need for an AI chatbot tailored specifically for
students completing 10th, 12th, and B.Tech, helping them explore college
options, engineering streams, skill development resources, and scholarship
opportunities.

Moreover, research on conversational AI (Chen et al., 2021) suggests that chatbots

equipped with Generative AI and NLP can provide a human-like, interactive
experience for users seeking guidance. These chatbots can understand natural
language queries, analyze large datasets, and offer real-time career counseling
without the need for human intervention.
Despite the advancements in AI-based career counseling, there are still gaps in
terms of reliable and centralized guidance for students in India. Many students,
especially those from financially weaker backgrounds, lack access to structured
career information, free learning resources, and scholarship details. By
leveraging AI, NLP, and educational datasets, this project aims to develop a career
guidance chatbot that will bridge this gap by providing personalized career
counseling, skill-building recommendations, and financial aid information.

This literature review demonstrates the potential and necessity of an AI-powered

chatbot in modern career counseling. The proposed chatbot will integrate career
trends, skill development pathways, and financial aid resources into a single,
user-friendly platform, ensuring that students can make well-informed career
choices based on data-driven insights.

Required Software and Hardware

Developing an CareerCompass requires a combination of software tools for
development, deployment, and AI integration, along with hardware resources for
training and hosting the chatbot efficiently.

Software Requirements:
1. Programming Languages
●​ Python – For backend development, AI/ML model implementation, and chatbot logic.
●​ JavaScript (Node.js, React.js) – For frontend development and server-side
functionality.
●​ SQL / NoSQL (MongoDB, PostgreSQL, or MySQL) – For storing user data,
career-related datasets, and recommendations.

2. Frameworks and Libraries

●​ Flask / FastAPI / Django – For building the chatbot's backend API.
●​ React.js / Next.js – For developing the frontend user interface.
●​ TensorFlow / PyTorch / Scikit-learn – For machine learning model implementation
(if used for recommendations).
●​ NLTK / spaCy / GPT-based APIs – For Natural Language Processing (NLP) and
chatbot interactions.
●​ OpenAI API (GPT-4, LLaMA, etc.) – For integrating Generative AI capabilities.
3. Cloud & Hosting Services
●​ AWS / Google Cloud / Azure – For hosting the chatbot and managing AI workloads.
●​ Render / Vercel / Netlify – For hosting the frontend application.
●​ Firebase – For real-time database and authentication services.

4. Database Management
●​ MongoDB (NoSQL) – For dynamic data storage related to user queries,
recommendations, and career paths.
●​ PostgreSQL / MySQL (SQL-based) – For structured data storage, including
colleges, courses, and scholarships.

5. API & Integration Tools

●​ RESTful APIs / GraphQL – For efficient data exchange between frontend and
backend.
●​ Twilio / WhatsApp API – If chatbot integration with messaging platforms is required.
●​ Google Search API – For fetching real-time educational resources and job trends.

Hardware Requirements
1. Development System (For local development and testing)
●​ Processor: Intel i5/i7 or AMD Ryzen 5/7 (or higher).
●​ RAM: Minimum 8GB (Recommended: 16GB or more for ML model training).
●​ Storage: SSD with at least 256GB (Recommended: 512GB or more for faster
processing).
●​ GPU (Optional but Recommended): NVIDIA RTX 3060 or higher (if training deep
learning models locally).

2. Server Requirements (For deployment and hosting)

●​ Cloud-based GPU Server (For AI processing)
○​ NVIDIA Tesla T4 / A100 / V100 – For running AI models efficiently.
○​ Minimum 16GB RAM – To handle multiple chatbot queries.
○​ SSD Storage (100GB or more) – For database and model storage.
●​ Web Server (For hosting the website and chatbot API)
○​ AWS EC2 / Google Compute Engine / DigitalOcean
○​ Ubuntu/Linux-based OS for stability
Proposed System
The CareerCompass is designed to assist students who have completed 10th, 12th,
and B.Tech in choosing the right career path, selecting suitable colleges and
courses, exploring trending domains, and identifying scholarship opportunities. This
chatbot will be integrated into a user-friendly website and will provide real-time
career counseling based on the student’s interests, academic background, and
financial situation.

Key Features of the Proposed System

1. Personalized Career Recommendations
●​ The chatbot will analyze a student’s interests, strengths, and preferences using AI
and Natural Language Processing (NLP).
●​ Based on user inputs, it will suggest career paths, courses, and streams suitable
for students who have completed 10th, 12th, or B.Tech.

2. College and Course Information

●​ Provides details about colleges, courses, and admission processes based on the
student’s location and academic performance.
●​ Displays eligibility criteria, application deadlines, and entrance exam details.

3. Guidance for B.Tech Students

●​ Helps B.Tech students choose trending domains such as AI/ML, Data Science,
Cybersecurity, Blockchain, etc.
●​ Suggests online courses, certifications, and internships to build relevant skills.

4. Scholarship Assistance
●​ Provides information about government and private scholarships for students from
financially weaker backgrounds.
●​ Assists with eligibility criteria, application processes, and deadlines.

5. Free and Paid Course Recommendations

●​ Offers free course links from platforms like Coursera, Udemy, edX, and NPTEL.
●​ Suggests certifications and skill development programs to enhance employability.
 6. AI-Powered Chatbot for Interactive Guidance
●​ Uses AI-driven NLP to answer queries about career paths, courses, colleges, and
scholarships.
●​ Provides real-time responses with a conversational experience similar to a human
career counselor.

7. User Authentication & Progress Tracking

●​ Users can sign up and log in to save their career interests and recommendations.
●​ Allows students to revisit previous suggestions and track their learning progress.

8. Web-Based Platform with a Simple UI

●​ A responsive and interactive website where students can access career guidance
anytime.
●​ Built using React.js for the frontend and Flask/Django for the backend.

System Workflow
1.​ User Login/Signup → Students create an account to save their career preferences.
2.​ Chatbot Interaction → Students ask questions, and the chatbot provides career
guidance.
3.​ Data Analysis & AI Processing → The system processes inputs and suggests
career paths, courses, and scholarships.
4.​ Course & College Information Retrieval → Fetches real-time details about colleges,
courses, and skill-building resources.
5.​ Recommendations & Tracking → Saves user progress and offers personalized
suggestions based on previous interactions.

Advantages of the Proposed System

The CareerCompass offers multiple benefits, making it an efficient and comprehensive
career counseling tool for students. Here are some more advantages:

1. 24/7 Availability
●​ Unlike traditional career counselors who work within time limits, this chatbot is
accessible anytime, anywhere.
●​ Students can ask queries and get career advice at their convenience.
2. Eliminates Confusion & Provides Clear Career Paths
●​ Many students feel confused about which stream to choose after 10th or 12th.
●​ The chatbot eliminates uncertainty by providing clear and structured career paths
based on their interests.

3. Reduces Dependence on Human Career Counselors

●​ Traditional career counseling sessions can be expensive and time-consuming.
●​ The chatbot provides free, AI-driven career guidance, making it more affordable for
students.

4. Helps in Choosing the Right Engineering Stream

●​ Students often struggle to select the right engineering branch after 12th grade.
●​ The chatbot provides detailed insights into trending fields like AI/ML,
Cybersecurity, Data Science, IoT, etc., helping them make an informed choice.

5. Bridges the Knowledge Gap on Scholarships

●​ Many financially weak students miss out on scholarships due to a lack of
awareness.
●​ The chatbot lists available scholarships, eligibility criteria, and application processes,
ensuring students don’t miss any opportunities.

6. Recommends Internships & Certifications for Skill

Development
●​ B.Tech students often struggle to find the right internships, certifications, and
projects to boost their skills.
●​ The chatbot suggests free and paid courses, certifications, and platforms like
Coursera, Udemy, NPTEL, LinkedIn Learning, etc.

7. Personalized Roadmap for Students

●​ Provides a customized roadmap based on students’ skills, interests, and career
aspirations.
●​ Helps them set goals and track their learning progress.

8. Industry Trends & Job Market Insights

●​ Keeps students updated about the latest job market trends and in-demand skills.
●​ Helps them prepare for future job roles in their chosen fields.
 9. Multilingual Support for Better Accessibility
●​ The chatbot can be expanded to support multiple languages, ensuring
non-English-speaking students can also benefit.

10. Continuous Learning & Improvement

●​ The chatbot uses AI and machine learning to improve its recommendations over
time.
●​ As more students use it, the system gets better at understanding career trends and
giving accurate suggestions.

Existing System
Existing Career Guidance Chatbot
According to the research paper, the existing career guidance chatbot is an AI-based
system that helps students choose the right career path using Machine Learning (ML) and
Natural Language Processing (NLP). The chatbot provides career suggestions based on
user inputs, including interests, academic background, and preferences.

Features of the Existing System:

1.​ AI Chatbot: Uses NLP and Decision Tree algorithms to analyze student queries.
2.​ Machine Learning-Based Guidance: Provides career recommendations using
TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency) for text analysis.
3.​ Interactive Chatbot: Uses ChatterBot framework for career counseling.
4.​ Education-Oriented: Guides students on choosing a career after 12th grade.
5.​ Limited Career Paths: Provides basic information on career options without
deeper insights into industry trends or emerging fields.

Drawbacks of the Existing System

1. Limited Scope for Skill Development
●​ The existing system mainly provides career suggestions but does not guide students
on learning new skills, certifications, or internships.
●​ No integration with online learning platforms (like Coursera, Udemy, or NPTEL)
for skill-building.
2. Manual Interaction is Still Required
●​ The chatbot relies on predefined datasets and static responses, requiring manual
updates to keep career information relevant.
●​ No real-time updates from external sources like job trends, industry news, or new
courses.

3. Low Accuracy in Career Recommendations

●​ The existing system uses Decision Tree & TF-IDF algorithms, which limit
recommendation accuracy to 88%.
●​ Does not use deep learning or AI-based user profiling for personalized career
guidance.

4. No Personalized Learning Roadmap

●​ The system lacks a structured career roadmap to help students plan their learning
journey step by step.
●​ Does not offer customized skill recommendations based on industry trends.

5. Limited Scholarship Information

●​ The chatbot does not integrate with real-time scholarship portals (like NSP, AICTE).
●​ No filtering based on student background, financial status, or category.

6. No Mentorship or Community Support

●​ The system lacks a mentorship feature where students can connect with
professionals, alumni, or experts.
●​ No Q&A forums or interactive sessions for career counseling.
●​ No resume-building feature or interview preparation assistance.

8. No Multilingual or Voice Support

●​ The chatbot is text-based only, making it less accessible to students who prefer
regional languages or voice-based interactions.
Future Scope of the System
The CareerCompass has immense potential for expansion and improvement in the future.
As technology evolves, the system can integrate advanced AI capabilities, enhance user
experience, and provide more accurate and personalized career counseling. Below are
some key areas for future enhancements:

1. Integration with Government & Private Scholarship Portals

●​ Direct API integration with government and private scholarship databases to provide
real-time updates.
●​ Automated scholarship eligibility checker that suggests the best financial aid
options based on user profiles.

2. Advanced AI & Machine Learning Enhancements

●​ Deep Learning algorithms for better career predictions based on students’ skills,
academic performance, and industry trends.
●​ Use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to make chatbot responses more
human-like and interactive.
●​ AI-powered resume builder and career assessment tests to guide students
towards the best opportunities.

3. Collaboration with Educational Institutions & EdTech

Platforms
●​ Partnering with colleges and universities to provide direct admission guidance
through the chatbot.
●​ Integration with EdTech platforms like Coursera, Udemy, NPTEL, LinkedIn
Learning, etc., to provide certification course recommendations.

4. Multilingual Support for Global Accessibility

●​ Expanding the chatbot to support multiple languages, making it accessible to
students from different regions and backgrounds.
●​ Voice-assisted AI chatbot for better engagement with users who prefer
audio-based interaction.
5. Internship & Job Placement Assistance
●​ Partnering with companies and job portals to suggest internships,
apprenticeships, and job opportunities for students.
●​ AI-powered resume analysis and interview preparation tips based on
user-selected career paths.

6. Personalized Career Roadmap with Skill-Based Learning

Paths
●​ The system can provide detailed, step-by-step career roadmaps for different fields
such as Engineering, Medical, Arts, Commerce, Data Science, AI/ML,
Cybersecurity, etc.
●​ AI-based gap analysis to identify missing skills and recommend learning resources
accordingly.

7. Gamification for Interactive Learning & Career Development

●​ Introducing a gamified experience where students complete tasks, earn badges,
and track progress in their career journey.
●​ Quizzes, assessments, and real-world case studies to make career learning more
engaging.

8. Career Mentorship Program

●​ Connecting students with industry experts, mentors, and alumni who can guide
them through live sessions, webinars, and Q&A forums.
●​ AI-powered mentor matching system based on students' career interests.

9. Mobile Application Development

●​ Developing a mobile app version for students to access career guidance on the go.
●​ Push notifications for scholarship deadlines, new job postings, and trending
courses.

10. AI-Based Mock Interviews & Resume Review

●​ AI-driven mock interview sessions with real-time feedback to help students
prepare for job interviews.
●​ Resume screening using AI to highlight strengths and areas for improvement.

​
Algorithms Used in the Career Guidance
Chatbot
To make the Career Guidance Chatbot intelligent, interactive, and effective in providing
career recommendations, several algorithms are integrated into the system. These
algorithms help in understanding user inputs, processing data, and delivering
personalized career suggestions.

1. Natural Language Processing (NLP) Algorithm

●​ Purpose: Helps the chatbot understand and respond to student queries in natural
language.
●​ Techniques Used:
○​ Tokenization: Splitting user input into words for analysis.
○​ Named Entity Recognition (NER): Identifying important words like
"Engineering," "Medical," "Scholarship," etc.
○​ Sentiment Analysis: Understanding the emotional tone behind queries.
○​ Intent Recognition: Classifying user queries (e.g., "Which career is best for
me?" → Career Recommendation).
●​ Algorithm Used:
○​ SpaCy, NLTK, or Transformer-based models (like BERT or GPT-3.5) for
improved response generation.

2. Decision Tree Algorithm for Career Recommendation

●​ Purpose: Suggests the best career path based on user interests, skills, and
academic background.
●​ How it Works:
○​ Takes user input (marks, interests, preferred subjects).
○​ Uses a tree-based decision model to suggest the best career option.
●​ Example:
○​ If a student enjoys Math & Science → Suggests Engineering, Data
Science, AI/ML.
○​ If a student enjoys Biology → Suggests Medical, Pharmacy,
Biotechnology.
3. Collaborative Filtering Algorithm for Course & Scholarship
Recommendations
●​ Purpose: Suggests relevant courses and scholarships based on past user data

.How it Works:

○​ Uses User-Based Filtering: Recommends courses based on students with

similar interests.
○​ Uses Item-Based Filtering: Suggests similar courses/scholarships based on
what other students have explored.
●​ Algorithm Used:
○​ K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) for similarity matching.
○​ Matrix Factorization (SVD) for better course recommendations.

4. Machine Learning-Based Resume & Skill Gap Analysis

●​ Purpose: Analyzes a student's skills and suggests improvements.
●​ How it Works:
○​ Uses TF-IDF (Term Frequency - Inverse Document Frequency) to analyze
resume keywords.
○​ Compares skills with industry demand using Regression Models.
○​ Suggests certifications & skill improvement areas accordingly.

5. Chatbot Response Generation – AI-Based Model

●​ Purpose: Provides dynamic, human-like responses to student queries.
●​ Algorithm Used:
○​ Rule-Based Chatbot (for predefined responses).
○​ Transformer-based Models (GPT-3.5, BERT, or Dialogflow AI) for AI-driven
conversations.
○​ Uses Seq2Seq (Sequence-to-Sequence) models for improved chatbot
interaction.

6. Scholarship & College Prediction using Random Forest

●​ Purpose: Predicts the probability of a student getting a scholarship based on their
academic performance and financial background.
●​ Algorithm Used:
○​ Random Forest Classifier to analyze multiple factors (marks, income,
category, state, etc.).
○​ Helps in ranking best-matching scholarships for students.