Soft Skills Research Articles

Preparing industry-ready graduates: Interplay of lecturer behavior, self-motivation, and soft skill development in vocational education.

This paper investigates the theoretical foundation and practical efficacy of integrating interactive and practice-oriented learning methods to significantly enhance educational outcomes in higher professional training. The study addresses the critical gap between traditional academic delivery and the evolving demands of the labour market, which necessitates not only discipline-specific knowledge (Hard Skills) but also advanced Soft Skills, including critical thinking, complex problem- solving, and communication. The primary goal is the theoretical substantiation and subsequent development of methodological recommendations for implementing this integrated approach. The methodology is based on a systemic approach, combining theoretical analysis of pedagogical literature with empirical methods, such as observation and analysis of educational results. The research demonstrates that the highest educational results are achieved through the synergistic application of these methods. Interactive techniques – like Case Studies and Collaborative Learning – are essential for problem analysis and knowledge acquisition, while practice-oriented methods –including Project-Based Learning (PBL), high-fidelity Simulations (VR/AR), and Internships – ensure the application of theory and the development of procedural memory. This integration establishes a complete learning cycle (analysis – action – reflection) that effectively eliminates the detachment of academic knowledge from professional realities. Crucially, the approach fosters "competence in action" and promotes swift adaptation to new professional challenges. The role of the educator fundamentally shifts to that of a facilitator, responsible for curating the learning environment and providing quality feedback. The Conclusion asserts that this integrated methodology is a decisive factor for producing high-quality specialists, fully prepared for the dynamic requirements of the modern labour market. Further research should focus on developing specific integration models tailored to various professional disciplines and examining the long-term impact of technology use on career trajectories.

This study aims to analyze the influence of interpersonal skills (soft skills) and practical skills (hands-on skills) on the work readiness of students at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” East Java in the 2021 academic year. The approach used was quantitative with a survey method through the distribution of questionnaires to 79 respondents. The collected data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. The results of the study indicate that both interpersonal skills and practical skills play an important role in improving students' work ability or work readiness. This finding confirms that mastery of two types of skills, namely technical skills (technical skills) and non-technical skills (non-technical skills), is essential for students to be able to adapt and compete in the world of work. Thus, educational institutions are expected to balance the development of academic aspects and practical skills to prepare graduates who are ready to face professional challenges.

Many studies have suggested that participation in pre-clerkship volunteering opportunities is associated with higher confidence in clinical skills, improved perspectives on social barriers, and greater soft skills and empathy. While these studies have described a positive impact on subjective qualities, few studies have investigated the impact on objective standards such as third-year evaluations. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between volunteer hours and third-year evaluations, with the hypothesis being that these previously studied, perceived benefits of volunteerism would translate to better evaluations. This retrospective cohort study stratified a class of 161 medical students by volunteer hours completed during pre-clerkship years and self-recorded into the Translating Osteopathic Understanding into Community Health (TOUCH) reporting system. Preceptor evaluations were gathered utilizing the school's report system and were analyzed in categories that included communication, problem solving, clinical skills, osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM), medical knowledge, and professional/ethical standards. The statistical analyses utilized included Pearson and Spearman correlations. At the time of data accruement, only 127 of the 161 students had completed all required rotations and had completed evaluations. Therefore, the final sample size analyzed was 127 students and 1,321 evaluations. The average overall score on evaluations was 4.47, and the average number of logged TOUCH hours was 65.63. After Pearson and Spearman correlational analyses, no statically significant results were found (p>0.05). Although previous studies suggest the positive impact of volunteering on confidence in clinical abilities, this study suggests no statistically significant correlation between TOUCH hours and preceptor evaluations. Current literature suggests that this may be due to preceptor subjectivity, evaluator and clinical engagement, and grade inflation. Given that evaluations are an important factor in residency interview selection, this study raises the question on how to adapt volunteerism and evaluation standards to better prepare osteopathic medical students for residency and beyond.

In today’s world, when reviewing business trends and key themes alongside the latest academic studies in the field of team dynamics, two significant trends overshadow all others. On the one hand, soft skills are increasingly recognised as essential drivers of both employees’ personal growth and organisations’ success by both business leaders and academic scholars. On the other hand, due to globalisation, team structures have shifted from being more homogeneous to more diverse, leading to the formation of multicultural teams. However, reviewing the existing literature reveals there is a lack of studies on the role of soft skills in culturally diverse work environments. Indeed, most research in the context of soft skills mainly examined the role of these skills in academic settings among students or within homogenous workplace settings. This paper addresses the research question: “How do soft skills influence team performance and help address challenges within multicultural teams?” using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Initially, we extracted approximately 1100 papers which have been published since 2014 from valid databases such as Web of Science and Scopus. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 19 papers were found relevant and selected for this review. Then, a thematic analysis approach was used to synthesise findings from the selected papers. This enabled us to identify key soft skill categories, their definitions, and reported impacts on multicultural team dynamics. Through this study, a broad range of soft skills explicitly or implicitly discussed in the literature were identified, with particular emphasis on four core soft skills, communication, emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, and adaptability, as essential for enhancing effectiveness in multicultural teams. The identified soft skills were found to improve team interaction, collaboration and trust as well as reduce conflicts within culturally diverse work environments.

Vocational education plays a pivotal role in nurturing talent and supporting national development. However, challenges such as outdated talent development concepts, insufficient teacher training, and a lack of attention to soft skills cultivation from both schools and students have hindered the comprehensive development of secondary vocational students. This study aims to explore the direct effect of perceived teachers’ transformational leadership on the soft skills of 324 secondary vocational students in China and to examine the mediating role of students’ self-efficacy in this relationship. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the results show that teachers’ transformational leadership has a significant positive effect on students’ soft skills (β = 0.33, p < .01). Moreover, self-efficacy partially mediates this relationship (indirect effect β = 0.07, p < .05), accounting for 22.6% of the total effect. These findings suggest that teachers’ inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation directly foster students’ communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, while also indirectly strengthening them by enhancing students’ confidence. Practically, the study underscores the need for teacher training in transformational leadership and for policy initiatives that integrate soft skills into vocational curricula.

Teaching politics and international relations in higher education (HE) has shifted in recent years towards a focus on soft skills, with employability as a core output. The need to improve graduate outcomes has driven sector-wide responses that focus on additional support for students to gain experience and soft skills that can be translated into statements of employability. Yet, degree programmes are still often based on assumptions of students’ pre-existing skill sets, or an expectation that students will learn academic and professional skills as a byproduct of their degree. This article argues that this is problematic as it avoids focusing on the skills gap present in students from widening participation (WP) backgrounds. It establishes that the ‘soft skills’ increasingly sought by employers, such as complex problem-solving, leadership, public speaking, resilience, and active critical thinking, are core outputs of participation in model summits that focus on fast-paced interactive learning. Embracing model summits as a teaching tool presents opportunities for the enhancement of learning by focusing on skills training through the adoption of model summits within and alongside core content, providing students with the opportunity to extract key soft skills during their degree studies, potentially bridging the wider attainment gap for WP students.

Background Research has identified employment as a social inclusion priority for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and has emphasized person-centered vocational training as a predictor of future employment. The Impact Project is a summer program offered by project partners in British Columbia, Canada, that provides youth with IDD vocational training to improve their employment experiences in preparation for future employment. Objective This study explicates the importance of soft skills in vocational training identified by youth and their parents/carers regarding attained employment experiences during the Impact Project (2020–2022). Methods This study evaluates qualitative data from youth and their parents/carers who reflected on their vocational training and attained employment experiences. Results Qualitative findings highlight the significance of soft skills, namely confidence, social capital, and job readiness in the youth's employment experiences and outcomes. Youth and parent/carer observations about these soft skills add insight to understanding positive employment outcomes from the Impact Project. Conclusion Qualitative data from the Impact Project (2020–2022) illuminate how soft skills contributed to the youth's employment experiences. These findings contextualize quantitative employment outcomes and can guide vocational training programs for youth with IDD in preparation for future employment.

Women´s leadership across industries worldwide continues to be promoted by governments, companies, and organizations alike. This paper presents preliminary results from a broader qualitative research on women in leadership positions in higher education institutions (HEI), government positions, and companies related to higher education (HE) worldwide. This paper presents the views of women in leadership roles in HEI (including department, institution, board of directors, among others) and related organizations (such as consultancies, embassies) on 1) the mentorship they have received (if any) from their role models, and 2) which leadership styles they perceive to practice in their daily activities in their current role. Through semi-structured interviews, we gathered information about participants' views, practices, and leadership styles. The participants included women from diverse nationalities, ages, socioeconomic, cultural, and academic backgrounds, all of whom currently hold leadership roles in or related to higher education. The interviews were recorded, videotaped, subsequently transcribed, and then coded using MAXQDA, a qualitative analysis software. Results indicated that most participants had received mentorship from previous leaders such as thesis advisors, university deans, faculty heads, or colleagues in similar positions. Participants in the study also cited parents and spouses as role models and mentors influencing their personal and professional decisions. They reported learning qualities such as innovation, creativity, resilience, and soft skills from their mentors. Regarding their leadership styles, most women did not identify with a specific style but rather described some dynamics and approaches they employ in their current leadership roles. Mentorship in the higher education field can support women in the early stages of their careers, help develop their leadership styles, and encourage them to strive for such positions. The study concludes that targeted mentorship programs for women should be established and promoted to incorporate broader perspectives at the highest levels of decision-making in higher education institutions.

Introduction: Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool in healthcare education, offering immersive experiences to support learning and professional development. At Sheffield Hallam University, VR was integrated into the BSc Physiotherapy curriculum to enrich simulated placement experiences. The initiative targeted key educational domains such as Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), human anatomy, and soft skills. This study investigates the impact of VR on student engagement, learning, and skill application using the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model [1]. Methods: The study employed a mixed-methods evaluation of VR integration across three modules—Anatomy VR, Travelling While Black, and BodySwaps. Data were collected through student feedback surveys and reflections, focusing on the four levels of the Kirkpatrick Model: Reaction, Learning, Behaviour, and Results. Additional insights were gathered from the VR facilitation team and reviewed alongside supporting literature to inform improvements [2,3]. Results: Reaction: 36% of students responded positively to the VR sessions, while another 36% remained neutral, and 28% reported dissatisfaction. Technical issues and discomfort, particularly with BodySwaps, were common concerns. Learning: Travelling While Black and Anatomy VR sessions were effective in promoting EDI awareness and anatomical understanding, respectively. BodySwaps yielded limited success in enhancing communication and active listening. Behaviour and Results: While 48% of students reported confidence in applying VR-acquired skills to clinical placements, 36% did not, highlighting inconsistencies in perceived transferability of learning. Preliminary Recommendations: Pre-briefings, content alignment with real-world scenarios, and improved accessibility are expected to enhance future VR effectiveness. Discussion: VR holds significant potential to augment physiotherapy education by fostering experiential learning and addressing EDI and communication competencies. However, to maximise impact, sessions must be better tailored to learners’ needs and technological limitations addressed. The mixed reception to BodySwaps indicates the importance of context and clarity in simulation design. Future work will assess the impact of the proposed recommendations on student outcomes and engagement. Ethics Statement: As the submitting author, I can confirm that all relevant ethical standards of research and dissemination have been met. Additionally, I can confirm that the necessary ethical approval has been obtained, where applicable

The increasing complexity of public sector challenges needs a shift from intuition-based decision-making to evidence-based approaches, particularly in human resource management (Cho et al., 2023). This paradigm shift requires leaders able to leverage data analytics to manage strategically human resources within public administration (Magakwe, 2025) (Cho et al., 2023). The digital transformation in public sector needs to move beyond traditional practices to embrace new strategies for performance optimization (“Digital Transformation in Public Sector Human Resource Management,” 2024). This paper explores the interplay between data-driven and soft skills, examining how these elements facilitate efficient transformation programs and enhance public service delivery (Adie et al., 2024) (Bastidas et al., 2023). Specifically, it investigates how leaders in public administration need to integrate sophisticated data analytics and soft competency frameworks to support an adaptive and high-performing workforce (García, 2025) (Zervas & Stiakakis, 2024). The objective is to delineate the weight of the skills and competencies required for publicsector leaders to navigate the complexities of data-driven decision-making (Adie et al., 2024). This integration is crucial to raise a workforce capable of navigating and ensuring public sector development (Adie et al., 2024; Zervas & Stiakakis, 2024). This research will delve into the competencies required by Human Resource Directors within these highly adaptive and scalable organizations, particularly examining how a human-centric approach to digital leadership can foster an environment leading to innovation and efficiency in public service.

The Introvert’s Toolkit is a practical resource designed to help passive speakers, especially introverts and non-native speakers, engage confidently in small talk. Small talks can be particularly challenging for individuals with speaking anxiety, especially introverts or non-native speakers who may feel self-conscious or overwhelmed in casual conversations. Unlike traditional modules, it recognizes diverse communication styles and offers tailored tools to support learners at different comfort levels. This makes it highly relevant to language learning and education, as it builds pragmatic competence which is the ability to use language effectively in social contexts. The module teaches key skills like turn-taking, polite expressions, intonation, and cultural awareness, all essential for real-world communication. It also supports social-emotional learning by fostering confidence, empathy, and self-awareness, while accommodating different learning styles. This inclusivity makes it especially effective for ESP courses, where professional, cross-cultural communication is key. The toolkit includes self-awareness activities, scripted conversation starters, gradual exposure tasks, and cultural sensitivity guidance. These features help reduce speaking anxiety, build soft skills, and promote emotional intelligence that supports both personal and professional growth. Aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the project promotes Quality Education (SDG 4) through inclusive learning, Decent Work (SDG 8) by preparing learners for the workforce, Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) by empowering marginalized voices, and Peace and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) through respectful, cross-cultural dialogue. Overall, The Introvert’s Toolkit enhances communication in diverse educational and workplace settings, making it a valuable tool for inclusive, effective language education.

Research on preventing maternal and child mortality highlights the importance of promoting midwife and nurse competence and confidence through training and continuous medical education. While training is effective, particularly through the use of the “low-dose, high-frequency” training model, there are barriers to implementing continuous medical education. This case study will present outcomes from a midwifery training conducted in Kenema, Sierra Leone. Outcomes include improvements in knowledge, skills, and confidence, and knowledge cascading through continued “low-dose, high-frequency” (LDHF) training in facilities. This case study will also present implications for strengthening future training, including integrating soft skills and increasing facility-based training opportunities, as well as present qualities necessary for organizational collaborative efforts for health systems strengthening.

Objective: To assess the variation in levels of emotional intelligence of students in pre-clinical and clinical years of health sciences and to explore what factors were associated with differing levels of EI. Methodology: This mixed-method study was done at the University of Lahore from March to August 2023. Quantitative data was collected using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) from 248 students, 62 participants were recruited from each discipline of health sciences students. Three focus group discussions and four one-on-one interviews were performed. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was done based on Daniel’s Goleman model of EI’s theoretical framework. Results: One-third (32.30%) of health sciences students had low EI levels. Physiotherapy clinical years had a higher mean EI score (141.13 ± 13.42 SD). In MBBS clinical years, EI decreased (p> 0.02), while for BDS, physiotherapy, and optometry, it remained non-significant (p> 0.05). However, proportion of students with moderate EI declined in MBBS (from 67.7% to 41.9%) and optometry (from 83.9% to 67.7%) but increased in physiotherapy (from 64.5% to 77.4%) and BDS (from 58.1% to 61.3%). Five key factors were identified influencing EI levels: self-awareness, social awareness, teacher role modelling, self-management, and communication skills. Conclusion: Students’ EI varied across and within disciplines, depending on self-awareness, the working environment, and the responses of their teachers and patients. Soft skills should be explicitly incorporated into the curriculum and reinforced through positive role modelling by teachers.

Community engagement does not only assist in developing the community but also fosters the students’ growth. In integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the course Community Engagement for Professional Development (ELS303) focuses on collaborative competency which is believed to consequently cultivate multiple soft skills including leadership. Following Shared Leadership Theory, students may be accountable for different responsibilities and roles that are not necessarily a leader but they take ownership and honour these responsibilities. Although community engagement has been studied for decades, investigations on the students’ leadership skills remain lacking. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the drivers influencing language students’ leadership through community engagement activities. In achieving this, data will be collected quantitatively and qualitatively through questionnaire distributed to 80 final year language students who are taking ELS303 course and qualitatively through semi-structured interview with 10 respondents from the same group. The quantitative data will then be analysed using SPSS to look for patterns and trends whereas thematic analysis for the qualitative data will be done using NVivo. The findings will benefit curriculum developers and educators to maximise collaboration competency in students which subsequently supports the integration of ESD.

The increasingly fierce market competition, especially in the batik industry, requires MSMEs to have a strong differentiation strategy and product branding. The goal is to maintain and improve the competitiveness of the product in the market. Unfortunately, Zahro Batik MSMEs still face obstacles, where digital promotion efforts still tend to be simple, use social media captions that are less informative, have minimal appeal, and are not optimal in reaching potential consumers. This condition is caused by the limitation of copywriting skills which are the key to digital marketing. The purpose of this service activity is to improve the understanding and skills of business actors in optimizing marketing communication strategies through the preparation of effective and attractive promotional messages. The method used is socialization and copywriting training. This activity was attended by 15 participants who are employees of Batik Zahro MSMEs and local residents as an expansion of partners. Evaluation was carried out through individual assignments in the form of writing product promotional captions, which were assessed based on the suitability of the content, language appeal, and creativity of the message. The results achieved showed an increase in participants' soft skills and understanding, where all participants were able to compile promotional captions in a structured manner using the copywriting techniques that had been taught. This increase is expected to strengthen the brand image and product attractiveness, as well as encourage the readiness of Zahro Batik MSMEs to compete and develop in the creative industry.

This study explored the preference of paramedic employers in the USA for college degrees and soft skills development. Traditionally, paramedic education varied, especially between states, but recent education standards and programme accreditation increases have become necessary for national certification. Similar to nursing, where higher education correlates with improved patient outcomes, the paramedic profession is shifting towards a college degree model in several countries to enhance professionalism and skills. This shift faces resistance in the USA as a result of concerns related to costs and local control. The study found a significant relationship (F(1459)=343.952, p<0.001) between employer preferences for paramedics with college degrees and the belief that these degrees enhance soft skills, with no regional variations. Employers who preferred college-educated paramedics believed that these degrees develop critical thinking, analysis, communication and writing skills. Those who did not prefer college degrees were less decisive about these benefits.

Undergraduate nursing students' perception of soft skills: a quantitative descriptive study

Introduction. STEM graduates are currently in high demand as they are considered to be the driving force of innovation and development in all areas of the modern society. It fosters the necessity of not only highly-qualified specialists at the working places but effective leaders with essential leadership knowledge and skills. Leadership as a subject of study has become an integral part of the missions of many higher educational establishments in accordance with the UNO policy which postulates that effective and inclusive leadership is the most important factor in the success of all peacekeeping operations. The proposed complex method in teaching soft leadership skills to Master's degree students in foreign language classes increases the motivation of students ensuring the study of the discipline in a contextualized setting. The described integrated pedagogical approach, combining the study of language and humanitarian content within the framework of social-cognitive theory, is a successful solution for the formation of leadership qualities in students of natural sciences through (via) a foreign language. The aim of the article is to contribute to improving the quality of leadership training for students of technical and fundamental sciences. Materials and methods. Master’s degree students at the Department of Foreign Languages of Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State Research University) were enrolled into the course “Leadership in Science, Industry and Education”. Being conducted exclusively in English, the course provides a wide range of different activities for practicing and refining the learners’ B2-C1 language proficiency while acquiring leadership knowledge. By being continuously engaged in practical communication scenarios, they build the necessary competence to excel in academic, industrial and educational environments. The descriptive statistics method including the mean and sample standard deviation of the answers scores was used to summarize questionnaire responses of the conducted survey. KEYWORDS Results. The obtained results demonstrate significant necessity of introducing liberal arts education programs at STEM universities to make the students familiar with the current social cognitive principles. To measure the impact of the leadership course on students' perception and engagement in leadership efforts there was conducted a survey with 361 participants and 14 questions. Despite the fact that the questions have quite a diverse range of evaluated parameters the mean score is high (M=from 4,71 to 3,17; SD =0,31). The findings indicate the course learners highly evaluated the course curriculum as all topics and activities were thoroughly chosen to make the tasks quite challenging and sophisticated for arousing the students’ interest and creativity. The course materials and assignments availability made up 4,71%, balance between speaking activities and writing tasks - 4,51%, teaching methods - 4,44%, ability to receive useful feedback on the performance - 4,43%. Even the least positive participants’ attitude - if the course made the learners feel interested and motivated to become a leader – is quite high (3,17%) to consider it as a negative result. Conclusion. The complex pedagogical approach based on social cognitive theory and conceptual framework of the leadership course offer a promising avenue for empowering teachers and course designers to foster the development of soft skills through leadership ideas in STEM students.

Introduction. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing demand for specialists who possess not only professional knowledge but also developed soft skills. In the highly competitive labor market, volunteering activities may become one of the significant factors enhancing the competitiveness of graduates from law and economics programs. While the impact of volunteering on students' professional development has been the subject of many studies, they predominantly focus on medical and social specializations. The role of volunteering in shaping future medical and social workers is evident and well-researched; however, its significance for the professional growth of future lawyers and economists remains understudied. The aim was to identify which professional qualities are influenced by students' volunteering activities. Materials and methods. The survey involved 200 economics and law students from the 2nd to 4th years of study, divided into four groups based on their volunteering experience. Participants were students from three Russian universities: K.G. Razumovsky Moscow State University of Technologies and Management, Kuban State Agrarian University named after I.T. Trubilin, and Southern Federal University. Qualitative data were gathered through 20 semi-structured interviews (five interviews per group). Statistical methods employed in this study included the Mann-Whitney U-test, Chi-squared test, Spearman's correlation analysis, and factor analysis. KEYWORDS social project, professional development, professional qualities Results. The primary motives for participating in volunteering activities were gaining new experiences, opportunities for personal growth, and the desire to contribute to socially important projects, with female students expressing these motives significantly more strongly. Statistically significant differences were found in the self-assessment of professional competencies and soft skills between students with and without volunteering experience (p < 0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed that the most common effects of volunteering were the development of communication skills (reported by 90% of respondents) and increased self-confidence (reported by 80% of respondents). Conclusion. The findings regarding the influence of volunteering on students' professional and personal qualities can be utilized to enhance extracurricular programs and increase student engagement in professional activities, especially in the context of qualified workforce shortages.