Profession-relevant soft skills training for ICT professionals
Presented by: ITS Antonio Cuccovillo
Industry: Non-academic professional training
Location: Bari, Italy
Size: <50 employees
Challenges:
- Equip ICT professionals with soft skills
Solution:
ITS A. Cuccovillo is a training institute (EQF level 5) specialised in mechatronics. The foundation’s training offering includes specific modules related to soft skills including team working, communication, problem-solving, project management, and entrepreneurship — essential non-technical skills sought after by companies for software professional roles.
These modules are 10-20 hours long and built based on the results of labour market research defining the required soft skills. The courses are, for the most part, practical activities that are based on the experiences of students (some of whom have work experience) and on real-life cases. Small classes of 20-25 students give every learner a chance to actively participate.
This modular experience and research-based way of working and learning enable students to benefit from tailored training and allow teachers flexibility in the delivery of the course — making the relational dimension key to success.
Results:
With these courses, students get an understanding of the relevance of soft skills in ICT-related professions and can build their skillsets accordingly. Their employability potential is therefore boosted.
Key benefits:
- Soft skills capacity building for ICT professionals
- Formal learning of soft skills, integration into professional subjects
Key resources:
- A well-oiled evaluation mechanism to assess soft skills and competences rather than knowledge
- A clear link to the profession-related goals of students