What does it take for young people to feel confident about their future?
Across Europe, learners, educators, and employers are sharing their experiences through EMPASS — offering a first-hand perspective on how transversal skills can be recognised, developed, and applied in real-life contexts.
Through these testimonials, a common theme emerges: skills such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking are no longer invisible. They are becoming visible, valued, and increasingly connected to real-world opportunities — helping individuals better understand their strengths and navigate the transition from education to employment.
Students
For students, EMPASS often represents a turning point in how they perceive their own abilities. Many discover that skills they once considered “natural” or overlooked — such as teamwork, organisation, or communication — are in fact essential for their personal and professional development. Key themes: building self-awareness, growing confidence, and connecting skills to future opportunities.
Local Event held by JA Spain, 2025
“Participating in EMPASS was an experience that helped me gain more confidence in myself and in my abilities. Until then, many of the skills I had, such as communication, teamwork, and organisation, seemed like “normal” things that I did not truly recognise or pay much attention to. Through the activities and exercises within the programme, I began to understand how important these skills are and how much they matter in a professional environment.
One thing I particularly appreciated was the transparency of the process: I could clearly see which skills were being assessed, why they were important, and how they could be developed. This helped me better understand my strengths, as well as the areas where I can continue improving. In addition, having these abilities officially recognised through the EMPASS certificate gave me a real sense of appreciation and validation. It was motivating to see that my work, involvement, and progress were concretely reflected in a certificate that can also have value for my future professional career. The experience gave me more confidence to express myself, collaborate with others, and trust more in what I am capable of achieving.”
– Student, Romania
“My participation in the EMPASS activity was a truly valuable and eye-opening experience. This activity helped me better discover my abilities, understand the areas in which I excel, and identify the aspects where I still have room for improvement. Through the exercises and challenges provided, I had the opportunity to develop my critical thinking, teamwork skills, and confidence in my own abilities.
EMPASS was not just a simple activity, but also an opportunity for self-discovery. I learned to listen to my own ideas, express them clearly, and collaborate effectively with others. It also helped me realise how important it is to take risks and step outside my comfort zone in order to grow and evolve. In conclusion, EMPASS had a positive impact on me, contributing to my personal development and helping me form a clearer understanding of my own abilities. I believe that experiences like this are essential for anyone who wants to grow and gain a better understanding of themselves.”
– Student, Romania
“The EMPASS workshop and testing session were well organised and very useful for developing skills relevant to today’s job market.
I especially appreciated the modern and interactive approach, which combines technology, skills assessment, and practical learning in an accessible and motivating way. The platform and the concepts presented clearly highlighted the importance of developing soft skills and adapting to new digital requirements. Overall, the experience was interesting, dynamic, and valuable.”
– Student, Romania
“The project has helped me better identify the personal skills I can bring to a professional environment. I now have a clearer understanding of my strengths and how I can apply them beyond the classroom. It has also given me more confidence regarding my professional future.”
– Student, Spain (student of the Higher Vocational Training in Metal Constructions)
“The EMPASS project has helped me gain more clarity about my competencies and discover qualities I already had, as well as others that I can still work on and improve. It has also given me more confidence to apply these skills both in the workplace and in my relationships with others, as well as in my professional future.”
– Student, Spain
“Through the EMPASS project, I have learned to better understand my skills and recognize my strengths. It has also helped me see how these can be useful for my professional future.”
– Student, Spain
Educators
For educators, EMPASS provides a structured and practical approach to integrating transversal skills into the classroom. Beyond teaching academic content, it offers tools to help students reflect on their abilities, engage more actively, and connect learning with real-life applications. It also supports educators in adopting more interactive and future-oriented teaching methods, and strengthen collaboration across schools and countries.
Key themes: making transversal skills visible in the classroom, increasing student engagement, and connecting learning with real-world contexts.
Local event held by JA Greece, 2026
“As a teacher at Virgil Madgearu Economic College in Bucharest, I had the opportunity to participate in the activities carried out within the EMPASS project, a European educational initiative focused on the development and validation of transversal skills required in today’s labour market. The project emphasises essential abilities such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, responsibility, and lifelong learning, contributing to better preparation of students for both professional and personal integration. Participating in this activity was a valuable experience, providing modern perspectives on skills assessment and future-oriented education.”
– Teacher, Romania
“I consider this to be a particularly useful tool, which has enhanced student participation and contributed positively to the learning process, offering new ways of interaction and reflection. In using EMPASS in the classroom, I noticed that students responded with increased interest and active participation. The tool’s structured approach facilitated understanding of the concepts while enhancing critical thinking and collaboration among students. Particularly important was the fact that it provided immediate feedback, allowing both me and the students to identify areas for improvement and adjust the learning process accordingly.”
– Teacher, Greece
“My participation as an educator in the EMPASS – The Employment Skills Pass programme was a particularly useful and creative experience. The programme, as an innovative micro-credential, aims to develop students’ key employability skills.
Through experiential activities, students cultivated skills such as collaboration, communication, and critical thinking, showing great interest and active participation. Collaboration with teachers from other countries contributed to the exchange of good practices and the adoption of modern teaching methods.
Overall, the programme significantly strengthened my role as an educator and contributed to better preparing students for the labour market.”
– Teacher, Greece
“Our school’s experience of using the EMPASS tool has been particularly positive. The students responded with interest and enthusiasm, as through the examples and activities of the tool they managed to understand in depth the meaning and importance of soft skills for their future.
In addition, the webinar was one of the strongest points of the experience, with the part involving business executives particularly engaging the students, offering them valuable practical knowledge and a more direct connection to the job market. At the same time, we would like to highlight the excellent support we received from the programme manager, Adriana Karaouli, who was always prompt, kind, and willing to help us at every stage of the implementation, contributing to the smooth and successful participation of our school.”
– Teacher, Greece
“From the EMPASS project, I have found especially interesting the possibility of connecting soft skills with real situations from the professional world.”
– Teacher, Spain
“EMPASS has helped students become aware of transversal skills that often go unnoticed in the classroom. It has also provided them with tools to recognise their value and apply them in more real-life situations. We have also seen how they have gained confidence when explaining what they know how to do.” – Teacher, Spain
Employers
From an employer perspective, transversal skills are increasingly critical in identifying and developing talent. Beyond technical qualifications, abilities such as adaptability, collaboration, and problem-solving play a key role in navigating a fast-changing labour market.
EMPASS helps make these skills more visible and understandable, supporting better alignment between education and workforce needs, and enabling more informed recruitment and talent development decisions.
Key themes: recognising skills beyond technical qualifications, bridging education and employment, and supporting better recruitment decisions.
Local Event held by JA Romania, 2025
“From an employer perspective, recognising transversal skills is key to improving recruitment and bridging talent gaps. For Zurich, transversal skills are decisive in recruitment processes, as they allow for the assessment of candidates’ real potential beyond their technical training. EMPASS helps make these capabilities visible and aligns them with current business needs, while also strengthening the connection between education and employment. In an increasingly demanding and rapidly changing labour market, its role is key to improving young people’s employability. Moreover, it fosters the development of more well-rounded profiles, better prepared to face real-world challenges from the very start of their professional careers. Initiatives like this contribute to building a more inclusive, efficient labour market that is aligned with future demands.”
– Zurich Insurance
“Talent mismatch is limiting both business growth and professionals’ opportunities. EMPASS helps bridge this gap through micro-credentials that recognise key transversal skills, enabling more informed hiring decisions and fostering a stronger alignment between talent supply and demand.”
– Orestes Wensell, Managing Director of ManpowerGroup Academy
Key Takeaways
Across all testimonials, one message is clear: making transversal skills visible transforms how people learn, teach, and work.
EMPASS is helping individuals recognise their strengths, build confidence, and better understand their place in the evolving labour market. At the same time, it supports educators and employers in creating stronger connections between education and real-world needs. Together, these perspectives highlight a shared vision — one where skills are not only developed, but recognised and valued, contributing to a more confident, adaptable, and future-ready workforce across Europe.
