AN INTELLIGENT CAREER ORIENTATION PLATFORM FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Persistent misalignment between secondary education outcomes and labor market requirements constitutes a structural challenge across transitional economies, with Uzbekistan exhibiting a youth qualification mismatch rate of approximately 41%. This paper proposes and theoretically justifies an Intelligent Career Orientation Platform (ICOP) — a web-based system for secondary school students that integrates Holland RIASEC-based psychometric profiling, machine learning career pathway recommendations supported by Explainable AI (XAI), real-time occupational demand analytics, and gamified engagement mechanisms. Drawing on comparative analysis of operational career guidance systems in Finland, South Korea, Singapore, and the United States, the study establishes an evidence base for each architectural decision and situates the platform within Uzbekistan's emerging EdTech policy landscape. The paper further outlines a mixed-methods pilot evaluation protocol and addresses key ethical requirements including data protection and algorithmic fairness.