Developing human resources and building a talent pool for the region through the construction, measurement, and validation of soft competency profiles for current and future professionals (the ComPass System)

Abstract

Contemporary professionals’ education worldwide is based on Bloom’s taxonomy (Anderson/Krathwohl’s revision). This process is implemented as the “packaging” of individuals into rigid professional standards by transmitting accepted dogmas as value orientations. The training quality is measured through practice duration and education documentary evidence (formal records). However, individuals’ personalities extend beyond standards and include soft competencies determining the hard skills application in specific situations. They make professionals adaptable to the ever-changing reality, including the AI presence. Finally, every person aims at self-realization. Self-realization serves as the key internal motivator for effective and successful action (including in one’s profession) with no need for external motivators. Relying on soft competencies in profiling, management, and HR development in the medium and long term leads to significant savings in financial and other resources during the launch and professional activities’ implementation when they are an act of self-realization. Consequently, existing rigid standards already require complementing them with soft competency profiles (competency profiling). A soft profile is always broader than standards and contributes not only to forming a talent pool from students in secondary specialized educational institutions and universities, technical schools, and vocational schools but also to unleashing the potential of professionals already in the field.