AG3 Policy Recommendations: Recognition, Validation and Certification of Soft Skills
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Soft skills are increasingly seen as essential to be effective at work, but remain difficult to define, assess, and certify. The lack of a common European framework hinders their recognition and integration into education and employment pathways.
Action Group 3 (AG 3) seeks to contribute to the creation of a common Alpine framework for the observation, assessment, and validation of soft skills. A dedicated toolset was developed and successfully piloted in Austria, Italy, and Slovenia, demonstrating its potential for broader application.
Based on the knowledge and experience gained through AG 3 work it is recommended to:
1. Develop a unified classification system for soft skills, regularly updated and applicable at all governance levels.
2. Create an open repository of soft skills identification, assessment and validation practices and tools to support knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
3. Raise awareness and provide incentives for soft skills development and recognition.
4. Integrate soft skills into education and lifelong learning policies through supportive legislation.
5. Launch a EUSALP-wide pilot initiative to scale the toolset, train educators and Human Resources professionals, and promote cross-border mobility.
The initiative supports regional cohesion by enhancing the mutual recognition of soft skills, improving workforce mobility, and aligning educational outcomes with labour market needs. It also contributes to EU-wide goals on skills recognition and lifelong learning.
The Policy Recommendations have been elaborated by the members of the Actions Groups of EUSALP, reflect the expertise of the AGs members and are meant for voluntary implementation by the decision makers when it comes to the Alpine Region.