The Role of Soft Skills in Shaping Students' Leadership and Social Responsibility in the Era of Society 5.0

Abstract

The Society 5.0 era requires vocational students to balance hard skills and soft skills to face global challenges. Hard skills focus on technical competence, while soft skills include communication, teamwork, leadership, integrity, and emotional intelligence. At SMK Tadika Pertiwi, soft skills are considered essential in developing inspirational leadership and social responsibility. Challenges include low mental readiness, avoidance of responsibility, and limited social awareness. Therefore, strengthening soft skills requires consistent habituation, continuous mentoring, and motivation from the school environment. By balancing both skill sets, vocational students are expected to become technically competent graduates with strong leadership character and readiness to contribute positively to the workplace and society.