by Becky Miles | Operations Manager | Seetec
In the evolving landscape of employability and public service delivery, digital innovation is no longer a future ambition, it is a present necessity. At Seetec, we are one of the largest employee-owned companies and public service providers in the UK.
Our aim to change lives and communities for the better drives everything that we do – including the complexities of integrating AI into our services. While initial apprehension about technological change is natural, we’re driven by the immense excitement and responsibility of getting this right.
Our recent pilot with Earlybird has reaffirmed my belief in the power of AI as a tool for efficiency, making space for more human connection. We believe AI will augment human potential, not diminish it. It’ll enable our teams to be more effective, do their best work and drive impactful services forward. Our AI journey is complex, but we’re embracing it with determination, driven by our unwavering purpose to transform lives. This piece is a reflection on and lessons learnt from delivering our first AI pilot.
Seetec’s AI pilot, launched in December 2024, set out to test how conversational AI and intelligent automation could enhance both participant engagement and frontline advisor effectiveness. From the outset, our collaboration with Earlybird was defined by shared values: responsiveness, flexibility, and a focus on tangible outcomes. It became clear throughout our pilot just how important these things are when collaborating to drive innovation.
The results speak volumes, not just in metrics, but in the real-world impact on staff and participants.
At its core, the AI pilot delivered two major innovations:
- Conversational AI: An AI agent that converses with participants, meaningfully engaging them after being referred into our service by completing a Vocational Assessment before their first meeting with an Employment Advisor (EA).
- WorkScribe: An AI-powered transcription tool that converts live EA-participant conversations into structured case notes, insights, and suggested action plans.
In order to deliver a robust evaluation of the platform, we rolled it out across several “pilot” sites and then compared data between those sites and our control sites.
Pilot sites consistently outperformed control sites, with an average of 67% participant attendance at Discovery Meetings, compared to 64%. Perhaps even more striking was the evidence of user-driven engagement: over 40% of vocational assessments were completed outside of business hours, a clear indication that AI is enabling accessibility and flexibility for people with busy lives or complex needs.
As someone who has worked in this sector for over 20 years, I was really impressed by how Earlybird’s WorkScribe shifted the role of advisors. It saved 12–18 minutes per appointment in admin time, allowing them to use these saved hours for employer engagement and participant support. EAs spoke of being more present in meetings, more focused on customer needs, and less burdened by post-session admin and typing up notes. One advisor described it as a “game-changer,” especially as someone with ADHD who previously struggled with documentation. Others noted that having a tool that accurately captured nuance from barriers to small wins meant they could build stronger, more responsive action plans.
This is where the socio-technological dimension becomes real. AI didn’t replace our advisors, it enabled them. It created space for empathy, listening, and tailored support. It levelled the playing field for neurodiverse staff and helped ESOL customers communicate more effectively. In short, it supported the great work our advisors do with participants, work that is skilled, purposeful, and sustainable.
Reflecting on the impact of this pilot, here are my three takeaways that I would share with other organisations looking to introduce an AI platform into their service to support their frontline staff:
- Prioritise Frontline Inclusion, even Co Design, from Day One
The buy-in and active participation of your frontline teams are paramount. They are the experts in daily operations and are using the technology. Engage them early and often, ensure their feedback is not just heard but integrated into the platform’s development and refinement and service implementation. It builds champions on the ground and ensures that AI truly enhances, rather than hinders, their ability to deliver quality service.
- Cultivate Collaborative and Iterative Partnerships with Vendors
When engaging AI solution providers, seek partners who embrace an iterative approach. While speed, budget and other factors are critical, recognise that AI development in human services is a continuous learning process on all sides.
Negotiate contracts that allow for agile development cycles, frequent feedback loops, and the flexibility to adapt as new insights emerge from pilot phases – as well as scale quickly when needed. Look for vendors committed to tailoring solutions to your specific operational contexts and those who are willing to do the difficult work and ask challenging questions – that’s true partnership.
- Invest in Future-Ready Training and Role Evolution
Introducing AI demands a strategic approach to workforce development that goes beyond user experience and digital literacy. Equip staff for evolving roles by focusing training on how AI enhances their ability to serve and frees them for higher-value, empathetic interactions. Cultivate a culture where adapting to new technologies is seen as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, adoption is encouraged, and performance is rewarded.
The integration of AI into employability services should not be seen as a mere cost-saving exercise, but as an investment in creating healthier, more productive societies. With careful rollout, clear ethical standards, and robust training, tools like Earlybird can help us tackle inequality, reduce administrative burden, and improve the quality of our participant journeys.
Innovation is only as strong as the partnerships that underpin it. Our collaboration with Earlybird demonstrated the best of what’s possible when AI is introduced not to control, but to co-pilot. I am excited about what comes next as we investigate scaling these tools across wider teams and deepening the system integration.
As we look to the future, my hope is that we continue to explore digital innovation through the lens of empowerment of staff, of participants, and of the communities we serve.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BECKY MILES | Operations Manager | Seetec
Becky is a dedicated manager in employability with over 20 years’ experience managing teams and supporting people back into sustainable employment and transforming their lives. She is currently Operations Manager at Seetec, where she manages teams across the Southwest who deliver the Restart, WHP, and Pioneer programmes – large-scale DWP contracts that help individuals overcome barriers, gain skills, and achieve sustainable employment.
Over the course of her career, Becky has worked across a wide variety of employability contracts, developing expertise in programme delivery, team leadership, and building strong partnerships that deliver real impact for communities. She is passionate about supporting teams and creating opportunities for those furthest from the labour market, ensuring services are inclusive, responsive, and empowering.
Her leadership is shaped by a commitment to social impact and continuous improvement, with a track record of driving innovation in employment support.