Eurobarometer reveals that 'soft' skills are just as valued by employers as sector-specific and computer-related skills

A new Europe-wide survey among employers shows that, when it comes to graduate recruitment, Employers value teamwork, adaptability, communication and language skills as much as sector-specific and computer skills. In this survey over 7,000 European companies were asked which skills and capabilities they find important when recruiting higher education graduates, and significant numbers of employers questioned said that the ability to work well in a team (98%), to adapt to new situations (97%), communication skills (96%), and knowledge of foreign languages (67%) were important when recruiting for their companies. Almost 50% of companies with considerable international business identified knowledge of foreign languages as the most important skill for the future.

Androulla Vassiliou, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: "These results clearly show that employers value a wide mix of specific and broad-based skills. The Commission's new initiatives, Youth on the Move and New Skills and Jobs, are focused on helping Europeans to identify and gain the qualifications and skills required in the job market. We are committed to supporting Member States' efforts to improve higher and vocational education, as well as promoting opportunities for study and work abroad. This experience gives young people the very skills that employers appreciate most."

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