Enhancing Students' 21st Century Competencies: The Impact of Targeted Training on the Development of Essential Soft and Hard Skills

This study investigated the effectiveness of short training in improving students' 21st-century skills, including soft skills, hard skills, and competitiveness. Using a quasi-experimental design without a pre-test, 50 students were divided into two groups: one attended the short training and one did not. Data were collected through self-assessment using the SurveyMonkey application. The results show that students who attended the training obtained significantly higher 21st-century skill scores than those who did not attend. The study concludes that short training is effective for improving soft skills, hard skills, and competitiveness, and recommends such training for final-year students as preparation for entering the workforce.