Extracurricular work experiences and soft skills development among pre-service teachers

Purpose This study explores how extracurricular work experiences relate to the development of soft skills among pre-service teachers. Soft skills such as social competences, communication, flexibility, efficacy beliefs and lifelong learning are crucial for addressing complex classroom challenges and supporting professional growth, yet whether work experiences may help foster them remains underexplored. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed with 709 pre-service teachers enrolled in two bachelor’s programmes in educational sciences. Data was gathered through an online questionnaire at the start of the 2024–2025 academic year. Findings Results indicate that extracurricular work experiences are positively associated with social competencies and communication skills, but show no significant effect on efficacy beliefs or flexibility. Interestingly, pre-service teachers with work experience reported lower lifelong learning skills. Originality/value This study contributes to the limited research on how extracurricular work shapes soft skill acquisition in teacher education. By identifying both benefits and drawbacks of such experiences, it highlights the need for teacher education programmes to more intentionally integrate work experiences into their curricula. As teaching grows more complex, linking experiential learning programmes with pedagogical goals is key to fostering the well-rounded development of future educators.