ANALYSIS OF THE PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS IN FUTURE EDUCATION

TRENDS AND RISKS

Abstract

In today's world, the importance of values and behavioural skills (soft skills) is becoming increasingly evident for both professional success and personal life. Increasing globalisation in recent decades has made the demands on these skills more complex, as professionals increasingly work in multidisciplinary and intercultural teams, speak multiple languages and operate in diverse geopolitical contexts. The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive literature review on the development of soft skills in future education, identify the main trends that influence the development of these skills, and identify potential risks associated with their integration into educational programs. The article also aims to provide recommendations for educational institutions and teachers on how to effectively implement soft skills in the learning process. Methods - to achieve the research objective, a literature review was conducted, scientific articles, books, reports and other sources related to soft skills and their role in education were collected and analysed. International experience in introducing soft skills into curricula was also studied. The results of the work showed the unevenness of educational responses to these challenges in different countries, which became apparent during the analysis. Education in the area of soft skills development has undergone little change, which is worrying given the importance of these skills in shaping values and behavioural patterns. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical need to develop skills such as consideration for others and collective responsibility. This has become not only a necessity but also a matter of survival, highlighting that well-being depends on collective efforts where everyone has a role to play. In the context of the pandemic, it has become clear that education should not only focus on academic knowledge, but also on developing students' ability to influence the world and society in a positive way. Conclusions - Integration of tourism best practices into soft skills curricula can be an important area of focus. This will allow students not only to acquire knowledge, but also to develop skills of adaptation, cooperation and effective communication in different cultural contexts.