Technical training and soft skills: why we need both

There are moments when you watch a team at work and immediately sense the difference. Not from the qualifications on their CV, but from the way they communicate, the way they listen to each other, and the way they handle a difficult situation without losing their composure.

In recent years, the conversation around workplace training has shifted considerably. Technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and new working models are leaving no profession untouched. This means that training is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s a necessity.

According to the Future of Jobs 2025 report by the World Economic Forum, based on data from more than 1,000 companies worldwide and 14 million workers, 39% of the core skills required in the labor market are expected to change by 2030. What’s interesting is that among the skills projected to grow fastest are both technical ones and soft ones, such as adaptability and resilience. In other words, the balance between technical knowledge and soft skills is not just good practice. It’s what the market is asking for.

The World Economic Forum emphasizes that the workers of the future will need to combine technical proficiency with strong soft skills. In practice, we see this every day, in the way we speak to a colleague, in whether we truly listen during a meeting, in whether we give and receive feedback honestly.

There are a few core things worth cultivating: communicating in a direct and honest way, adapting our message to whoever we’re speaking with; actively engaging when working with others, rather than simply “being present”; and staying open to learning. Curiosity and the drive to grow have become some of the most critical skills for anyone who wants to stay relevant.

At the end of the day, the outcome of our work is only half the story. The other half is how we got there.