Empowering STEM candidates for employability and entrepreneurship

In this paper we present the current results of a project supported by EU (Erasmus+ project), STEMSOFT. The project aims to prepare training programmes for STEM candidates with non-technical skills such as critical thinking, idea generation and interdisciplinary ways of working alongside their technical hard STEM skills. The consortium comprises different work cultures and training traditions and with input from international perspectives through the range of associated partners. Based upon a survey to explore which of the non-technical skills, soft skills and transversal skills are needed for different target groups, we identified 15 STEM-oriented learning outcomes covering these skills. These are the basis for developing training programs in an EQF/ECVET format. This mapping corresponds to a Skills bank and ESCO system (ESCO-European Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations is the European multilingual classification of Skills, Competences and Occupations) to secure transferability between existing training provisions and the additional STEMSOFT training. This in turn will boost the employability of candidates and their access to the labour market. The partners collate several OERs (Open Educational Resources), including MOOC-type resources, to be made available via a learning environment which will cater for a wide audience and will provide in addition training courses in soft skills tailored to the specific target groups we aim in the project.