We are … harnessing world leading intuitive AI digital solutions and chatbot technology that is simple to deploy. This eases the pressure on resources by providing personalised, quick and easy to use careers support services. A CareerTech Innovation National Prize Winner.
With… a deep understanding of the importance and impact of quality careers and employability information, advice and guidance. We work with customers in the UK and globally.
Unlike …. other high-cost products that are inaccessible, less accurate and more time consuming.
Our Story
In 2020, a seed of an idea to explore the potential of using artificial intelligence (AI) to support people with their career exploration became a reality. Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE led a small team of expert careers and digital specialists to try to figure out ‘the art of the possible’. During the Covid lockdown, her son-in-law suddenly became unemployed and needed to find new opportunities to secure paid work. The search for meaningful work was stressful, complex and time-consuming. This, along with other similar stories of job displacement and career uncertainty, turbo-charged efforts to discover how best to support young people and adults with their career exploration using Artificial Intelligence (AI). In 2022, CareerChat (UK) Ltd was formed with Dr Chris Percy (Co-Founder).
What started as a seed of an idea has become a reality – CiCi the careers chatbot. We believe no-one should be alone in their search for meaningful learning and work.”
We are committed to finding innovative solutions to careers support and enjoy working with partners who share our values.
Meet The Team
Associate professor DEIRDRE HUGHES OBE
FOUNDING DIRECTOR
Deirdre is a leading international careers specialist. She has worked in four UK universities and has written over 125 articles and book chapters. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Warwick, Institute for Employment Research (IER) and Director of dmh associates. In 2022-2023, she chaired a formal review of the matrix quality Standard on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) and The Growth Company. She was awarded a Legacy Fellowship by the UK Career Development Institute (2023). Deirdre is also Vice-President of the International Association of Vocational and Educational Guidance (IAEVG). Internationally, she has worked for Cedefop,2019 – 2023; OECD Career Readiness and ODICY programmes (2022 – ongoing); and International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the European Training Foundation (2022). She was awarded an OBE in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to career guidance. She has led research and consultancy projects across the UK for public, private and third sector organisations.
Dr Chris Percy
FOUNDING DIRECTOR
Chris Percy is a leading economist, strategy consultant, and careers researcher with expertise in quantitative methods. His experience of the education sector dates back to 2008 while working as a civil servant for the Department for Children, Schools and Families on secondary education reform and the strengthening of links between schools, universities, colleges and employers to improve progression pathways. He has led individual and team projects that span a range of organisations in the careers and education sector, including the Careers and Enterprise Company, the Education and Employers Taskforce, IntoUniversity, the Edge Foundation and the Open University, as well as pro bono engagements via Impetus-PEF for charities like Adviza, ActionTutors and the Dallaglio Foundation. Chris’s recent clients in private practice have included the World Bank (analysis of civil service skills requirements), Social Finance and King’s College London.
Associates
Andy Coates
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER
Andy is a freelance software developer and consultant, specialising in taking software from an initial idea through to commercially successful mass adoption.
He has extensive experience in all the major areas of software development – gathering client requirements, team leadership, UX design, database administration, front and backend development, testing, and devops.
Lauren Croll
MARKETING & SALES ASSOCIATE
Lauren is a consultant specialising in careers and enterprise. She has a successful track record and experience of setting up and managing a range of partnership programmes across the social enterprise, youth and education sectors. She managed UnLtd’s Higher Education Programme, launched to help realise the potential of social entrepreneurship within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in England delivered across a network of over 70 HEIs. She now work as a free-lance consultant providing project management, capacity building support, training delivery and workshop design and facilitation across the education and youth sectors; sectors to which she is profoundly committed. Contracted by Learn by Design, Lauren programme managed the pioneering ‘Our Future’ project, a Department for Education’s Opportunity Area funded programme connecting primary schools with the world of work to expand children’s horizons, challenge stereotypes and enhance social mobility.
Lee Johnson
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Lee has over twenty years’ experience in the UK Justice sector working across the public sector including prisons and probation, through to FE providers, careers IAG, resettlement, charities, and private businesses. Lee is a former Regional Head of Learning Skills and Employment for the MoJ, Regional Director of Further Education, Head of Commercial Operations and has experience in service design, software development, contract tendering, operational delivery, and mobilisation, transition and transformation of large scale public contracted services for example, Transforming Youth Custody (TYC), Transforming Rehabilitation (TR), Prison Education Framework (PEF) and careers and employability services.
He has significant experience of strategy design and implementation, and a record of leading change and improving organisational performance. His results stretch across business development, sales, operational delivery and commercial management.
As an associate of DMH and a freelance consultant, Lee is continuing his passion for supporting people and organisations to reach their full potential and make a positive contribution to society.
Fineen Bradley
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Founding Director of Finnesse Careers and Empowerment C.I.C.
Finneen Bradley is a dedicated advocate of career empowerment with 20 years of experience in career guidance and talent development. Based in Northern Ireland. she is the Founding Director of Finnesse Careers and Empowerment C.I.C., delivering innovative, impartial, and transformational career development services. Her bespoke programs, such as the Finnesse CORE Masterclasses (Careers, Originality, Resilience, and Empowerment), are designed to empower individuals to reach their full potential.
A passionate champion of lifelong learning, Finneen holds a First-Class BSc in Business Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Career Guidance with distinction, and has completed the prestigious Emerging Leaders Programme at Queen’s University Belfast.
Through Finnesse, she addresses economic and personal barriers, equipping individuals of all ages with the skills, resilience, and confidence to succeed in their career journeys. Her mantra, “Transforming challenges into opportunities for success,” reflects her unwavering commitment to inspiring futures and transforming lives.
Sharon Walpole
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Sharon Walpole is a Product and Business Development specialist with nearly 20 years of experience in publishing, education and early careers. She has developed innovative products, services and content strategies that connect education with the workforce. A recognised thought leader, Sharon has been a guest speaker at business events and has appeared on BBC News, Sky News, and Newsround, featured on national and regional radio, and been quoted in the Financial Times and The Guardian.
Throughout her career, she has built strategic collaborations with employers, regional authorities, employers and education providers, leading projects that bridge learning and career opportunities. Her expertise in market research, stakeholder engagement and content strategy ensures organisations deliver successful workforce and skills initiatives. She has secured and led competitive bid wins, delivering high-impact results.
A specialist in content development and marketing, Sharon has created over 50 digital careers publications and large-scale employer engagement campaigns, leveraging market insights and audience research for maximum impact.
Currently a freelance consultant, Sharon is working with a range of organisations to drive growth, forge partnerships and lead complex projects making her a valuable business development partner.
Ladi Mohammed Chapman
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Ladi Mohammed-Chapman is a highly experienced careers development professional with over 30 years in the sector, including nearly 7 years within the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) network of Careers Hubs. Having worked across 10% of the Career Hubs in England, Ladi led innovative projects in career education, employability, and guidance frameworks, working closely with employers, educational institutions, and policy influencers to shape youth employment initiatives. She is a passionate advocate for the Gatsby Benchmarks, having supported Careers Leaders and schools in implementing these frameworks, helping institutions achieve Outstanding ratings in Ofsted inspections and win awards for exceptional careers education programs.
Ladi is committed to equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the evolving world of work, particularly post-pandemic, with the rise of hybrid and remote roles. Her expertise has led to collaborations across the UK, Finland, Australia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South America and USA, fostering global perspectives in career education.
Now, Ladi focuses on supporting global careers education and empowering careers professionals to adopt AI in their practice. Through CiCi, an AI-powered chatbot, Ladi offers personalised career support for both adults and young people, helping them explore careers tailored to their unique needs. A lifelong advocate for professional development, Ladi is dedicated to transforming career provision to be accessible and relevant in the modern job market. Outside of work, she serves as a School Governor and volunteers within the NHS, demonstrating her commitment to social impact. Ladi balances her career with raising three teenage children, bringing humour, resilience, and passion to everything she does.
Dr. Jennifer Mckenzie
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Dr. Jennifer McKenzie is a professionally qualified and experienced Lifelong Guidance Specialist with a national and international profile in lifelong guidance policy development, committee Chair, conference host, speaker, moderator, rapporteur, working group leader, trainer and collaborator. As the former Director of the National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE) in Ireland, Jennifer has over 20 years’ experience in the field of career development in the areas of schools, lifelong learning, adult education and VET / FET sectors. Following the completion of her Doctor of Education (EdD) in Queens University Belfast, Jennifer established McKenzie Guidance Solutions Ltd. to provide consultancy in the areas of Lifelong Guidance Research, Policy, Strategy and Career Guidance Practice at national and international level.
Prof. Fusun Akkok
EMERITA PROFESSOR, MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, ANKARA, TURKEY, CAREERSNET, CEDOFOP
Prof. Fusun Akkök has more than 30 years of academic and practical experience in guidance and counselling. She has carried teaching and research work in the field of guidance, career guidance, parent counselling, teacher training, written papers and books and participated in national and international conferences and organized national and international conferences. She also has significant experience in developing modules and conducting and trainings on career guidance for teachers and managers of the VET schools in Turkey and in internationally. Prof. Akkök has significant experience in developing a web-based career information system serving all age groups, developing self assessment tools and highly experienced in developing education programs and teacher trainings. At present, she is the national expert to CEDEFOP and support the work on career guidance and empowering practitioners and teachers on career guidance. She is an international expert on lifelong guidance issues and works for international organizations International Labour Organisation (ILO), International organisation of Migration (IOM) and European Training Foundation at local and international projects. She has also been the senior international expert for trainings and career guidance in the TA for Reforms in VET and Employment in Georgia.
