The Scale-Up project emerged as a response to the pressing need to empower young people with the essential soft skills demanded by the contemporary job market. One notable outcome of this project, funded by the Erasmus+ programme in the framework of the Small Scale Partnerships for Cooperation, was the development of four comprehensive online training modules, targeting 20 young participants from Italy, Lithuania, and Spain. These modules, facilitated by experts from diverse backgrounds, aimed to bridge the gap between the skills sought by employers and those perceived as lacking by the youth demographic. Leveraging both research findings and innovative digital platforms, the project sought to equip participants with competencies vital for navigating today's competitive job landscape.

The Research Process

A meticulous research process underpinned the development of the training modules. This process entailed engaging with 49 companies of varying scales and industries, alongside soliciting insights from 64 young individuals across the aforementioned countries. By juxtaposing the soft skills prioritized by employers with the perceived deficiencies among the youth cohort, the research identified four key areas for intervention.

The Job Market Landscape

Before delving into the specifics of the training modules, it's important to contextualize the job market dynamics in Italy, Spain, and Lithuania. Italy, renowned for its diverse industrial sectors, has been grappling with youth unemployment, necessitating a focus on skills alignment to foster employability. Spain, with its burgeoning startup ecosystem and evolving digital landscape, emphasizes adaptability and digital literacy as prerequisites for workforce integration. Meanwhile, Lithuania, amidst its transition to a knowledge-based economy, underscores leadership and critical thinking as pivotal for driving innovation and organizational growth.

Why did we choose these 4 soft skills?

Critical thinking revolves around evaluating facts and information objectively to make sound decisions about how to proceed. It can be useful for young people looking for employment or for those who are already working because it helps to connect ideas, make reasonable decisions, and solve complex problems as well as improve job performance.

Emotional intelligence is defined as “the ability to perceive, interpret, demonstrate, control, evaluate, and use emotions to communicate with and relate to others effectively and constructively” (Cherry, 2023). Increasing emotional intelligence levels has positive effects on several career-related factors, including career satisfaction, career adaptability, career decision-making self-efficacy, and salary.

Leadership is about making a difference in the lives of others and leaving a lasting impact on the world. Leadership skills encompass the ability to drive progress, influence change, and inspire action. In the workplace, it can help both employees and employers make the office a healthier and better environment.

Digital skills are fundamental in today’s job market: over 90% of professional roles now demand a basic level of digital proficiency while only 44% of Europeans, including 37% in the workforce, lack these skills. Developing digital skills can help youngsters, especially with their job search, making it more efficient and thus increasing their chances of landing a job.

These four skills were developed during an online training session and further explained with the creation of specific modules aimed at increasing the knowledge of these skills among young people.

The Cammio Platform

In order to give the course participants an experience as close as possible to that of a real job interview, we used Cammio, a digital platform for professional recruitment. On the platform, we recorded, in the 3 languages of the consortium, questions similar to those that might occur in a job interview. Participants had to respond by recording their answer to each question and receiving feedback afterwards. It was a particularly formative experience, especially for those who had never faced an interview before. 

The Training Modules

The training modules, conducted between November 2023 and January 2024, offered a deep dive into four fundamental soft skills essential for career progression:

1. Emotional Intelligence: Led by Ghita Ramdhiansing (trainer, consultant and researcher, author of the book "People: The Manual"), this module elucidated the nuances of emotional intelligence—encompassing perception, interpretation, and effective utilization of emotions in interpersonal dynamics.

2. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Facilitated by Vicente Ferrero, professor and academic coordinator at the ESIC Business & Marketing School, this module underscored the significance of objective evaluation and strategic decision-making—a cornerstone of effective problem-solving in professional settings.

3. Digital Skills for the Labour Market: Delivered by Alice Berzieri, expert in digital marketing and social media manager, this module elucidated the imperative of digital literacy and adeptness in leveraging digital tools for information gathering and value creation within the contemporary labor landscape.

4. Leadership Skills: Helmed by Loreta Vaicaityte (certified life coach, psychologist and psychotherapist), this module expounded upon the attributes and competencies requisite for effective leadership—ranging from strategic supervision to initiative-driven decision-making.

Conclusions

In culmination, the Scale-Up project stands as an example of innovation and empowerment, equipping young individuals with the requisite soft skills to thrive in the dynamic terrain of the modern job market. By amalgamating rigorous research, cutting-edge digital platforms, and expert-led training modules, the initiative heralds a paradigm shift in youth employability, promising a cohort of adept and resilient professionals poised for success.