DEVELOPING SOFT SKILLS IN GENERATION Z HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

The paper justifies the crucial and timely importance of the formation and advancement of soft skills, examines methodologies for defining the concept of soft skills, and reviews the evolution of this concept within the scientific paradigm. The objective of this study is to examine the development of flexible soft skills among high school students, belonging to Generation Z, who have grown up in an era of digital technology. Based on the analysis of the results, it was found that the majority of respondents have insufficiently developed components included in the structure of the 4K model. It is reasonable to devote particular attention to the outcomes of critical thinking diagnostics and high indicators representing the degree of advancement in creative thinking. This provides grounds for the assertion that creative expression in adolescents is more pronounced than the inclination to engage in abstract logical problem-solving. The development of soft skills in students is an important factor in enabling them to cope with the challenges of learning in a digital environment.