The main goal of SOFTIMPROVE was to provide professionals and entrepreneurs—whether employed, unemployed, aspiring, or established—with the knowledge, tools, and practical experience scenarios to develop soft skills essential for employability, career advancement, and entrepreneurial success. The project pursued the following specific objectives: O1: Define key soft skills, understand their role in employability and entrepreneurship, and assess the needs and expectations of professionals on soft skills training. O2: Design a blended learning methodology—combining Virtual Reality and Academic Moodle approaches—supported by tools to monitor and assess learners’ soft skills development. O3: Create and pilot a Virtual Academy Moodle training course integrating theory, coaching, VR, and peer-to-peer feedback, to be tested, evaluated, and improved. O4: Develop an online learning Academy such as Coursera, adapted and original content focused on soft skills development. O5: Promote a new generation of professionals and entrepreneurs who are not only aware of the value of soft skills but also actively trained in them—conveying the message that soft skills are as critical as hard skills and can be developed through continuous learning.
SOFTIMPROVE project was born from the belief that investing in entrepreneurship education—especially through the development of soft skills—is one of the most impactful strategies to enhance employability and entrepreneurial success. This is in line with the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan, which highlights entrepreneurship education as a high-return investment for Europe. The project responds to the increasing demand for soft skills in today's rapidly evolving economic landscape. As AI and automation shift the labour market, soft skills such as adaptability, communication, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving have become essential. Research shows that these competencies strongly predict employability, career progression, and entrepreneurial outcomes, particularly when acquired learning contexts. SOFTIMPROVE aims to bridge the gap between VET training and non-formal entrepreneurial learning. It provides both employed and unemployed professionals, as well as aspiring and established entrepreneurs, with innovative learning strategies to develop the soft skills needed for sustainable career and business success, and it supports a new generation of professionals better equipped to face future economic and social challenges.