Deirdre Hughes

Associate Professor Deirdre Hughes OBE, University of Warwick's Institute for Employment. Research (IER), England specialises in careers, employment, and skills policies at international, national, and regional levels. Deirdre advises UK and other government ministers and policymakers on careers and employability ecosystems and is also a Vice-President of the International Association for Vocational and Educational Guidance (IAEVG).
In 2024, she co-authored three academic books published by Routledge. She is also the
Founding Director of CareerChat (UK), a pioneering tech company focused on career
exploration and AI. She is Director of dmh associates, supporting careers practitioners to
elevate the impact of their work. She is the Founding Director of the International Center for Guidance Studies (iCeGs) at the University of Derby (1998-2008). In 2012, she was awarded an OBE for services to lifelong guidance.

Title of the keynote: Building Brighter Futures: Empowering Diverse Communities Through
Career Guidance