by Leonardo Evangelista
Leonardo Evangelista is an occupational psychologist specialized in training guidance workers. Email contact l.evangelista@orientation.it Website https://www.orientation.it/
Published on July 4, 2024
Scarica l’articolo in PDF The use of generative artificial intelligence in skills assessment
Abstract
The paper analyses the potential and limits of integrating generative artificial intelligence, in particular ChatGPT, within the practices of skills assessment aimed at adults. The author proposes an exploratory approach that considers AI as a support tool for career counselors and trainers, highlighting its usefulness in formulating questions, analyzing information and generating hypotheses for professional development. The article underlines the need to maintain the central role of the human operator in managing the relationship, in interpreting the answers and in mediating between the output generated by AI and the subjectivity of the person in guidance. Examples of use and recommendations for an ethical, critical and personalized use of AI are presented, which does not replace the relational and diagnostic competence of the professional, but extends its operational possibilities.
Keywords
Generative artificial intelligence; skills assessment; career guidance; ChatGPT; adult education; career counseling; technological innovation; role of the career counselor.
This article shows how the use of generative artificial intelligence, in particular the ChatGPT website , can improve the realization of skills assessments during orientation activities.
What is Generative Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is the term used to refer to software or hardware that can choose the best action or solution to achieve a certain result in complex situations, as if humans or superhumans were in their place. Artificial intelligence software has existed for decades, for example, the autopilot in airplanes.
The term generative artificial intelligence is instead used to indicate those software that are able to create personalized, consultative-type responses, and to create texts, music, images.
If we refer to a specific software, we will say that it ‘uses’ generative artificial intelligence if, by directly reprocessing the data available on the web and based on the criteria provided, it is able to answer questions such as: Can you recommend a holiday destination in Europe that is suitable for a family with children, offers beautiful beaches and has a variety of cultural attractions? The family lives in Milan, wants to reach the destination with their own car, would like to take a holiday in June and spend, including travel, less than 4,000 euros?
The ability to answer complex questions of generative artificial intelligence software is very useful in orientation, here in this article I give an example related to the skills assessment.
An example of the use of artificial intelligence in the skills assessment
When to use generative AI in skills assessment
As is known, the skills assessment is a guidance service that allows the beneficiary to identify a target profession and develop an action plan to achieve it. See my article An Orientatore ti spiega cos’è il bilancio di competenze (Skills Assessment) .
The first phase of the skills assessment is dedicated to the analysis of personal abilities and aspirations, while in the second phase it is necessary to identify professions that are consistent with the characteristics and aspirations.
The search for coherent professions must be carried out on a case-by-case basis using different parameters, for example, with reference to a specific client we will search for:
- professions for which a specific qualification is required
- professions for which the technical knowledge and skills possessed by our client are necessary
- professions where transferable skills are required that our client has particularly developed
- professions consistent with our client’s professional values, depending on the case: professions where you earn a lot, where you work outdoors, where you deal with numerical calculations, where you can work independently, where there is no stress, etc.
- professions consistent with the attitudes that our client has most developed, for example professions where it is useful to be expansive, professions where it is necessary to be cautious and suspicious, etc.
So far, the research has been carried out by examining the professions contained in professional directories, see my article Professional profiles and directories, where to find them on the Internet or with a free search on Google, because on the Internet there are already articles that list professions consistent with a single parameter (for example, outdoor professions).
A Comparison of ChatGPT and Google for Skills Assessment
Chat GPT was the first site to allow interaction with generative artificial intelligence software.
Searches based on a single parameter
For example, if I type outdoor professions into Google during a career interview, I get various results.
Searches based on two parameters
If I want to combine more than one parameter, the search becomes difficult, for example if I search on Google for Professions in the open area for graduates I do not find specific results, at least on the first page, and I am forced to do the search myself directly among all the generic results reported.
At this point artificial intelligence comes into play. I go to ChatGPT (an advanced search engine, which provides answers to complex questions) and enter the search key. This is the result I get by entering the search key Professions in the open area for graduates :
There are several outdoor professions for graduates from different disciplines. Here are some examples of outdoor professions for graduates:
- Geologist: Geologists study the structure, composition, and history of the Earth. They may work outdoors, conducting fieldwork to collect rock samples, analyze topography, and study geological phenomena.
- Marine Biologist: Marine biologists study life in the oceans and marine waters. They may conduct research, analyze biological samples, monitor the health of marine ecosystems, and study the behavior of marine organisms.
- Archaeologist: Archaeologists explore historic sites and conduct excavations to recover and analyze ancient artifacts, structures, and human remains. Much of their work takes place outdoors, in the field.
- Agronomist: Agronomists are concerned with crop production and plant breeding practices. They may work outdoors, conducting soil research, assessing crop conditions, and developing solutions to improve agricultural productivity.
- Landscape Architect: Landscape architects design and create outdoor spaces such as parks, gardens, plazas, and urban areas. They plan, design, and manage projects that involve natural and built elements.
- Environmentalist: Environmentalists work to protect and preserve the natural environment. They may conduct field research, monitor ecosystems, develop environmental policies, and promote sustainability.
- Ecologist: Ecologists study the relationships between living organisms and their environments. They may conduct field research, monitor biodiversity, analyze environmental impacts, and develop strategies for managing and conserving ecosystems.
- Geographer: Geographers study the Earth, its physical features, human populations, and the interactions between them. They may conduct fieldwork, map geographic features, analyze geospatial data, and develop regional development plans.
These are just a few examples of outdoor careers for graduates. The choice will depend on each individual’s academic background, personal interests, and career aspirations.
Searches based on three parameters
But, in the search for professions done during or in preparation for an orientation interview, I can also insert another variable, for example I can ask for Outdoor professions for medical graduates :
For medical graduates interested in working outdoors, there are several professions that may be suitable. Here are some examples:
- Emergency Physician: Emergency physicians often work in outdoor settings, especially when responding to emergency calls on the street or participating in rescue missions in situations of natural disasters or accidents.
- Sports Medicine: Sports medicine physicians work with athletes and sports teams, evaluating and managing sports injuries, providing immediate on-field care, and performing pre -game medical checks . This may involve being on sports fields or outdoor arenas.
- Occupational Physician: Occupational physicians are concerned with health and safety in the workplace. They may be involved in assessing environmental risks, managing workplace emergencies, and promoting the health of employees, including those who work outdoors.
- Emergency Medicine Physician: Emergency medicine physicians work in outdoor emergency situations, such as mountain rescue, search and rescue, or medical care in rural or remote areas.
- Forensic Physician: Forensic Physicians examine medical evidence in cases of crime or accident investigations. Part of the job may involve attending outdoor crime scenes to collect and analyze evidence.
- Public Health Physician: Public health physicians work to protect and improve the health of communities. They may be involved in disease surveillance, health promotion, health emergency management, and involvement in public awareness campaigns, including in outdoor settings.
- Travel Doctor: Travel doctors provide medical advice and assistance to travelers. This may include risk assessments for specific diseases in certain destinations, disease prevention advice, and providing emergency care for outdoor travelers.
These are just a few examples of outdoor careers for medical graduates. It is important to evaluate your skills, interests, and career aspirations to determine which field best suits your needs.
Answers to complicated questions with artificial intelligence
Another example: What are the professions for those who want to earn a lot but in an ethical way? Here is the answer.
There are several professions where you can earn a lot of money, but in an ethical way. Here are some of them:
- Social Entrepreneur: A social entrepreneur creates and runs an organization with the goal of solving social or environmental problems. These businesses focus on profit, but at the same time seek to make a positive impact on society.
- Ethical Investor: Ethical investors seek to earn a financial return by investing in companies that meet ethical and environmental standards. They invest in areas such as renewable energy, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability.
- Ethics Lawyer: Ethics lawyers work to ensure that companies and individuals comply with laws and ethical standards. They may be involved in cases of fraud, corruption, or human rights violations.
- Sustainability Consultant: Sustainability consultants work with companies to help them adopt sustainable and responsible business practices. This may include reducing environmental impacts, promoting workers’ rights, and creating long-term business strategies.
- Doctor or Health Professional: Many doctors and health professionals earn high salaries, but they play a vital role in providing care to people who are ill or in need. This job requires a high work ethic and dedication to caring for others.
- Ethical Financial Advisor: Ethical financial advisors work with clients to develop investment strategies that are ethical and socially responsible. This means they focus on investments that create a positive impact on society, such as companies that promote gender equality or reduce carbon emissions.
- Research Scientist: Research scientists working in fields like medicine, sustainable energy, or the environment may earn high salaries, but they work to make discoveries that improve people’s lives or address critical issues like climate change.
These are just a few of the professions where you can earn a lot of money, but in an ethical way. It is important to note that the definition of “ethical” can vary from person to person, so it is essential for each person to choose a profession that aligns with their values and principles.
Why ChatGPT is superior to Google
It is clear that ChatGPT is superior to Google. Traditional search engines, such as Google, are not able to directly process information from the web (they simply report existing web pages containing the information searched for) nor to produce autonomous textual responses (they simply highlight parts of text from existing web pages that respond to the search phrase).
Therefore, in phase two of the skills assessment it is useful to use ChatGPT.
In this article I have referred to the skills assessment, but the same considerations also apply when, as a career counselor, I want to help a client/user of mine identify a target profession even without doing a skills assessment. The skills assessment, as we know, is one of the possible ways to help a person identify a target profession. In less complex cases, I can help a person identify a target profession even with one or more career guidance interviews, without strictly following a real assessment path, see my article Career guidance and skills assessment .
Some features of GPT Chat
The generative capacity
A first feature of Chat GPT is that it uses generative artificial intelligence, that is, it is able to create new content based on information collected on the web. It is also able to create texts. Chat GPT explains this in more detail.
Unlike other approaches to AI, which focus on solving specific tasks or reproducing predefined human behaviors, generative AI focuses on the ability to create new content, such as images, text, music, and more.
One of the main subfields of generative AI is text generation. Generative language models can analyze large amounts of text and learn the statistical patterns and structures of natural language. They can then be used to generate coherent text to continue a story, answer questions, or create news articles.
Keeping user interaction in memory
Chat GPT version 3.5 (the free one) has a limited ability to remember user interactions, so it can fine-tune its responses based on previous questions. This ability is limited to a single session, though. See my question to Chat GPT below.
Hi, if I ask you questions in succession on a certain topic, do you remember them?
Hi! Yes, I can remember the questions you ask me in succession on a certain topic during our conversation session. However, it is important to keep in mind that as a language model, I do not have a persistent memory between different interactions. Therefore, my ability to remember information is limited to the duration of our active conversation. If the conversation is interrupted or if a significant amount of time passes between questions, I may lose the context of the previous questions.
Ability to compare different hypotheses
Chat GPT allows you to ask logical-comparative questions, for example on the differences between one possibility and another. Let’s see an example:
Is it better to major in mathematics or engineering?
The choice between majoring in mathematics or engineering depends on your personal preferences, interests, and the career goals you want to pursue. Both disciplines offer interesting career prospects and exciting challenges. Below, I will provide some information to help you consider the differences between the two options:
Majoring in Mathematics:
– Theoretical approach: A degree in mathematics focuses primarily on mathematical theory, deepening the understanding of mathematical concepts, and solving abstract problems.
– Breadth of application: Mathematics is a fundamental discipline that is applied in a variety of fields, including computer science, finance, statistics, scientific research, and artificial intelligence. It can provide a solid foundation for a variety of careers that require logical and analytical reasoning skills.
– Potential careers: A degree in mathematics can lead to employment opportunities as a financial analyst, researcher, university lecturer, actuary, or computer programmer specializing in complex algorithms.
Engineering Degrees:
– Hands-on approach: Engineering studies focus on the practical application of scientific and mathematical knowledge to solve technical problems and design solutions in various fields such as civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, etc.
– Concrete solutions: Engineers are often involved in the design, construction, and improvement of existing products, infrastructure, and technologies. Engineering requires a hands-on approach and the ability to work with multidisciplinary teams.
– Potential careers: An engineering degree can open the door to a wide range of job opportunities, including civil engineer, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, computer engineer, materials engineer, and many more.
Ultimately, choosing between a math or engineering degree depends on what you are most passionate about and your career goals. I recommend that you learn more about both disciplines, talk to professionals who work in those fields, and consider what aspects appeal to you the most.
Cautions when using ChatGPT
Please note that ChatGPT 3.5 is currently only updated until January 2022, that replies do not exceed 3,000 characters, and that the data on which it is based are mostly from the Anglo-Saxon world and are translated into Italian. These characteristics can lead to distortions.
For example, to the question Give me a summary of Letter to a Teacher by Don Milani , Chat GPT 3 responds with a totally wrong answer that:
Letter to a Teacher is an open letter addressed to her former teacher, Professor Margherita Hack .
Articolo contenuto sul sito www.orientamento.it. Autore Leonardo Evangelista. Leonardo Evangelista si occupa di orientamento dal 1993. Parte dei testi di questo articolo sono stati prodotti con ChatGPT. Riproduzione riservata. Vedi le indicazioni relative a Informativa Privacy, cookie policy e Copyright.