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Rising Up is recognized as deeptech by the European Commission
10/11/2023
Sophio Sharadze
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How is Scandinavia facing soft skills challenges?

January 29, 2024
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8 min

Scandinavia, a region known for pushing boundaries and innovation, is taking a powerful step forward: prioritising soft skills alongside its already impressive tech expertise! 

This is fantastic news for anyone looking to build a successful career in Scandinavia.

Here's 3 reasons why you should be excited:

#1: Soft skills as a weapon for success

While Scandinavia has always been strong in technical skills, companies are now recognizing the superpower of soft skills. 

Communication, teamwork, and critical thinking are becoming just as important as coding or engineering.

#2: The shift in soft skills is real

The good news? Universities are taking action too! More and more, you'll find real-world business scenarios and communication-building activities integrated into programs do develop and improve the communication. 

#3: Employers in Scandinavia are looking for candidates with soft skills 

Recent studies show a great increase in demand for soft skills across Scandinavia. In 2019, a whopping 80% of employers recognized the equal importance of soft and hard skills, with a significant majority deeming them vital for company success. 

This means companies are actively seeking out well-rounded individuals who can not only solve technical problems but also collaborate effectively and communicate their ideas clearly.

3 Main Soft Skills Challenges in Scandinavia

Even though the commitment is clear - Scandinavia is determined to bridge the soft skills gap and create a generation of future-proof professionals - still, some challenges remain to be faced.

Here's a closer look at the hurdles they're tackling:

  1. Bridging the gap: Back in 2014, reports showed a vast majority of Scandinavians considered soft skills crucial. However, by 2018, a significant gap emerged, with many lacking these skills compared to hard skills deficiencies. This disparity persisted, highlighting the ongoing challenge of integrating soft skills into existing educational structures.

  1. Introducing modules to identify and develop soft skills more widely: Universities are developing fantastic pilot programs, but expanding them effectively across entire curriculums can be tricky. Finding the right resources and ensuring consistency across different institutions are ongoing hurdles.

  1. Balancing theory and practice: Striking the perfect balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application is another challenge. Universities want graduates with a strong foundation, but also the ability to hit the ground running with their communication and teamwork skills.

THE LAB. Is The Best Choice For Scandinavia

These challenges need to be tackled soon, and the good news is that Scandinavia doesn't have to go it alone in this soft skills revolution! 

Recognizing this critical need, Rising Up, a leading provider of soft skills development solutions, stepped up and invented THE LAB. (Learning Accurately Better).

Imagine a platform that unlocks the hidden potential of your students, transforming them into well-rounded, career-ready individuals. 

Yeap, that's the power of THE LAB. at Rising Up.

THE LAB. is more than just a tool – it's a comprehensive solution designed to bridge the soft skills gap and empower the next generation of professionals. 

THE LAB. is an innovative platform, which includes 4 great pillars. 

The first pillar of THE LAB. is the Soft Skills Scan. 

Pilar #1 Soft Skills Scan : soft skills assessment

As we said above, the Soft Skills Scan (#1 pillar of THE LAB.) is a great tool to optimise student success.

The Soft Skills Scan itself helps individuals and organisations identify their strengths and weaknesses in crucial soft skills areas like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

It’s like a toolbox filled with interactive assessments, personalised learning modules, and insightful reports. 

What’s important is that the Soft Skills Scan does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. That’s why in THE LAB. everything starts with a personalised assessment, built on five years of intensive research by a team headed by neuroscientist Nawal Abboub. 

This assessment analyses a person's strengths and weaknesses in 25 key soft skills, giving a clear picture of their competencies and what needs to be improved.

The Soft Skills Scan goes beyond generic assessments to focus on core adaptive skills like critical thinking and collaboration, essential for thriving in today's workplaces.

Pilar #2 Soft Skills Enrichment: soft skills training

Based on the unique skills and career goals, Soft Skill Enrichment creates a learning path individually fitted to the person. Think of it as a map that guides people to become a soft skills master! No more generic training - people will focus on the skills that matter most for their dream job.

Leveraging data from the personalised assessment, Soft Skill Enrichment considers every individual needs, market demands, and career aspirations to craft this personalised learning path.

Pilar #3 Soft Skills Mapping : soft skills cartography 

THE LAB. isn't just about assessment; it's about progress! Students as well as pedagogical directors and coordinators will be able to track their learning journey in real-time. 

As Nawal Abboub explains, the platform allows educational directors  to "map student competencies within specific programs, creating a clear picture of their skillset"

This translates into several benefits: visualising student progress across courses and years, identifying areas needing additional support, analysing entire student groups by sector, and generating effortless reports. 

Ultimately, this data-driven approach empowers pedagogy managers and program directors to tailor their teaching and ensure graduates possess the well-rounded soft skills required for the dynamic Scandinavian workforce.

Pilar #4 Soft Skills Certification: soft skills validation

THE LAB. isn't just for students! Teachers can use it to get a clear view of how their whole class is doing with soft skills. This approach of analysing and visualising soft skills data for student groups, helps them identify areas for improvement and tailor lessons to focus on the most important skills for their specific program. And finally to have their soft skills certificate depending on their diploma or certification.

This makes us believe that THE LAB. can empower Scandinavian schools to make informed decisions about curriculum development and track the effectiveness of their soft skills development programs by assessing students' certifications.

Cognitive Science Behind Rising Up’s Approach

Rising Up's commitment to succeed doesn't stop at inventing THE LAB. and developing its pillars. They understand the power of science-backed solutions. 

THE LAB. is firmly rooted in cognitive science, ensuring its approach is not just innovative but effective.

The proof is a Deeptech certification from the European Innovation Council (EIC) obtained in 2023, which validates their rigorous scientific foundation, ensuring THE LAB.’s effectiveness in measuring and developing these crucial competencies.

What’s more? With over 3,000 satisfied students and users, Rising Up's solutions are making a real difference in the world of soft skills development. 

In short, with its deep scientific foundation and proven track record, Rising Up's THE LAB. is a valuable asset for Scandinavia. 

That’s why we firmly believe that by offering a data-driven and culturally relevant assessment, THE LAB. can be a powerful tool for Scandinavian nations looking to bridge the soft skills gap and equip their workforce for future success.

THE LAB. - A Game Changer for Scandinavia

After all we discussed, we believe THE LAB. can be a game changer for Scandinavia's workforce. By providing a clear picture of soft skills strengths and weaknesses, THE LAB. empowers individuals to target their development efforts and universities to tailor their programs. 

Imagine a future where graduates enter the workforce not only with impressive technical skills but also with the communication, teamwork, and leadership abilities that employers crave. 

THE LAB. can help make this vision a reality!

Embrace Your Soft Skills Side!

If you're looking for a career in Scandinavia, honing your soft skills is an investment in your future success. Whether you're a student looking for the right program or a professional seeking additional training, Scandinavia is actively supporting the development of these crucial skills. 

Get ready to shine! And consider partnering with Rising Up's THE LAB. to take your development to the next level.

Program manager, education director are you ready to take the first step?

Send us a message at hello@risinguparis.com and we'll organise a 15-minute demo for you within a week. Let Rising Up unlock your hidden potential and propel you towards success in the ever-evolving world of work.

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