A HARNESSING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE CAREER GUIDANCE SERVICES AND DEVELOPMENT IN CLOTHING AND TEXTILES UNDERGRADUATES IN RIVERS STATE.

The study explores the harnessing of artificial intelligence for sustainable career guidance services and development in Clothing and Textiles Education among Home Economics undergraduates in the universities owned by government in Rivers State. The study had specific objectives, three research questions. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population for study comprised all undergraduate students of Home Economics Education across the government owned universities in Rivers State. The sample size consisted of one hundred and fifty (150) undergraduate students. A systematic sampling technique was used to select the sample size. A questionnaire form containing 16 items was designed to collect data for the study. The instrument was validated by expert’s test-retest method was use to establish the reliability of the instrument. These way 20 copies of the instrument were administered outside the target population. Thereafter the dates gathered were analyzed using PPMC. The researcher personally administered the instrument with the help of one research assistant. Mean and standard deviation scores were used in analyzing the data. . Findings revealed that AI provides personalized career guidance based on students’ skills and interests, helps identify job opportunities, and enables informed career decisions. It also facilitates sustainable career development practices such as continuous learning and digital skill acquisition. The study concludes that integrating AI into career guidance can enhance employability, self-reliance, and innovation among graduates in Clothing and Textiles Education. It recommends that universities adopt AI-driven tools for career counseling and capacity development.