Last week, our soft skills specialists, together with our colleague Michaela Procházková, who focuses on international cooperation, traveled to Spain on a working visit. The goal was to gain inspiration and explore how vocational education functions in one of the most developed systems in Europe.
Once again, it became clear that modern education is not built solely on technical knowledge, but primarily on the development of social competencies and soft skills.
Learning as a Series of Challenges
One of the institutions we visited was Don Bosco School, where we had the opportunity to observe classes and teaching methods firsthand. It was immediately clear that their approach to teaching differs significantly from what we are used to.
Teaching is organized into blocks and based on the principle of challenge-based learning. Students do not complete isolated tasks; instead, they work on complex assignments that require collaboration, communication, and independent decision-making.
Focus on Collaboration and Relationships
A strong emphasis is placed on teamwork and interaction among students. Peer learning is a natural part of the process—students discuss, share their approaches, and search for solutions together.
It is in these situations that key skills are developed—the ability to collaborate, argue, listen, and take responsibility.
Soft Skills as a Foundation, Not an Add-On
A key takeaway from the visit is that social competencies are not seen as an addition to teaching, but as its core foundation. Technical skills are important, but without the ability to apply them effectively in practice, they lose their value.
The Spanish model shows that if we want to prepare students for the real world, we must develop both technical knowledge and soft skills with equal intensity.
Inspiration for Further Development
This working visit brought valuable insights for the further development of the Moravian-Silesian Technological Academy’s activities. It confirmed that we are heading in the right direction in education, while also providing concrete examples of how teaching can be taken even further.
We are grateful for the opportunity to share experiences and gain inspiration, which we will continue to transfer into our own environment.
