For Majede Roshan, an accounting student at Seneca Polytechnics, the decision was rooted in practicality.
“I chose accounting because I think I have a lot of opportunities for finding a job in the future,” she said.
Roshan’s reasoning is far from unique. Across Canada, high school and college students are selecting career paths that seem secure or financially promising — often without a deep understanding of what they’re truly good at or passionate about. The result? Rising rates of program-switching, student burnout, and graduates entering industries they don’t feel connected to.
It’s a trend that education experts say could be leading young people down paths that don’t necessarily match their true strengths or long-term goals.
That’s where DiamondAI, a Toronto-based startup, is stepping in. The company has developed an AI-powered platform that helps students explore career options through the lens of self-awareness — focusing on personality traits, cognitive strengths, and individual interests.
“Diamond AI is a very comprehensive tool,” said Davood Gozli, Director of Marketing and Communications at DiamondAI.
“It brings together several different tests — asking questions about personality dimensions, strengths, and career inclinations. The idea is to guide and provide a safe, honest level of self-understanding for users.”
Rather than offering generic career quizzes, DiamondAI’s platform dives deeper. By analyzing a user’s preferences and behavioural tendencies, it provides tailored career suggestions that align with both who they are and what the current job market needs.
And behind the scenes, a key player in the startup’s success has been HELIX — the innovation and entrepreneurship incubator at Seneca College. HELIX provides hands-on mentorship, networking opportunities, and business development support to student- and alumni-led startups.
“The HELIX program gave us the framework and community to grow,” said Gozli. “From refining our model to connecting us with educators and early users, it played a foundational role.”
Although the company’s tool uses artificial intelligence, the team is quick to clarify that the core values and goals of the platform are anything but artificial.
“We are using AI technology to make the questions and the answers more friendly, more understandable, and more explainable for the end user,” said Behshid Behkamal, co-founder and CEO of DiamondAI.
“But the insight — the actual guidance — comes from a deep understanding of psychology, human behavior, and career development research.”
As concerns about youth underemployment and career misalignment grow, experts see tools like DiamondAI as a potential turning point — giving students a chance to explore career paths that are not only viable but fulfilling.
The platform is already being piloted at several Ontario schools, with positive feedback from both students and educators. Counselors say its helping students have more meaningful conversations about their futures — grounded in self-reflection rather than stress or uncertainty.
For Roshan and others like her, the value of that kind of guidance could make all the difference.
“A little bit of self-understanding goes a long way,” Gozli added. “And that’s what we’re here to provide.”
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