LUCA, your AI careers companion
LUCA is Lancaster University’s AI-powered careers companion. It helps you improve your CV, tailor cover letters, explore employers, and practise interviews. It works alongside our Careers and Employability Service.
Our Initiative
The job market is competitive, so we've created a new service to give you the edge. Lancaster University Careers Assistant (LUCA) is a free tool to help you secure internships, work experience, and graduate jobs.
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Meet LUCA
LUCA is an AI-powered careers tool that helps you prepare stronger applications and feel more confident about your next step after university. You can use LUCA to refine your CV, tailor cover letters, learn more about employers, and practise interview skills in your own time.
LUCA has been developed by the ISS Innovation Team in partnership with the Careers and Employability Service and student groups. It is being piloted within the university’s wider AI programme, which explores how AI can support teaching, research, engagement, and the wider student experience.
What LUCA can help you with
LUCA supports each part of the application journey.
- Job Advert Analysis
Upload any job description, and LUCA will analyse this and highlight what the employer wants, including key skills, competencies, tools, and experience the employer is likely to prioritise, helping users understand what the role requires and what to emphasise in their application - CV improvement
LUCA provides targeted guidance by CV section (such as skills, experience and education), informed by the job requirements. Feedback focuses on structure, clarity, relevance and impact, strengthening each area of your CV - Cover letter support
Using the job description, LUCA offers structured advice on how to create a high-quality, tailored cover letter. This includes guidance on content, tone and alignment with employer expectations, which you can apply in your own voice. - Mock interviews and feedback
Practise answering interview questions in text or video. LUCA gives feedback on clarity, structure, examples, and alignment to the role. Practice interview questions - in text or video format - that are representative of those commonly used by employers and relevant to the specific role. LUCA provides instant feedback to help refine answers, improve relevance, and build confidence ahead of interviews.
Designed to complement careers support
LUCA is not a replacement for careers professionals. Instead, it helps you prepare in your own time so that you arrive at appointments with stronger drafts and clearer questions. It also supports teaching teams and employability workshops by giving students practical tools between sessions.
Part of Lancaster’s AI programme
LUCA follows the university’s standards for security, privacy, and responsible AI. It is reviewed regularly and shaped by feedback from students and staff.
If you would like to be part of user testing, look out for updates from the Careers and Employability Service.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Lancaster University Careers Assistant (LUCA)
Access and Authentication
Who can access LUCA and how accordion
Members of the University who have completed the sign-up process
No. LUCA is not a replacement for careers professionals. Instead, it helps you prepare in your own time so that you arrive at appointments with stronger drafts and clearer questions. It also supports teaching teams and employability workshops by giving students practical tools between sessions.
Users must follow Terms of Use for Lancaster University Careers Assistant (LUCA) Acceptable Use Policy.
Roadmap and Development
How is LUCA going to develop? accordion
Yes. LUCA is developed using feedback from the university community.
Use the built-in feedback options or contribute to the Ideas Wall.
Your Rights Under Data Protection Law
Your rights under data protection law regarding LUCA accordion
See LUCA Privacy Notice to understand how personal data is processed when LUCA is accessed. LUCA operates within Lancaster University’s data protection framework. Your rights under UK GDPR apply to the personal data processed within the platform. Below is a summary of how each right applies in the context of LUCA.
You can view your chat history and uploaded content directly within LUCA. This provides direct access to the personal data you have entered.
LUCA does not store institutional personal data beyond what you supply yourself, for example text you type, files you upload or preferences you set. Because LUCA does not alter or enrich your data, this right does not generally apply within LUCA.
This right may apply in specific cases. LUCA automatically deletes session data after 30 days. Where additional erasure is requested, it will be assessed against the university’s legal obligations and any legitimate reasons to retain the data.
Since LUCA processes only the data you choose to input, you can self-manage this right by choosing what to enter. LUCA does not process university held personal data on your behalf. Restriction is therefore controlled by your own usage.
This right applies to data processed under consent or legitimate interest. LUCA processes data under the university’s contractual and operational requirements for providing digital services, so data portability does not apply.
This right does not apply because LUCA operates under the legal basis of providing a university service that forms part of your digital account provision.
LUCA provides clear notices about data retention, privacy protections and PII detection to support responsible use.
You may contact the University Data Protection Officer if you have concerns about how your data is handled within LUCA.