Examining the Effects of Soft Skills Training and Academic Learning on Communication Skills Development: The Role of Self-Confidence

Abstract

Communication skills and self‑confidence are important competencies for students in higher education, yet the roles of soft skills training and academic learning in their development warrant closer examination. This study investigated the relationships of soft skills training and academic learning with communication skills development and self‑confidence among students at Institut Administrasi dan Kesehatan Setih Setio, Jambi. The study used a quantitative explanatory approach involving active first‑year students from the 2024 cohort in the Faculty of Administration. The population comprised 120 students distributed across four classes, of whom 97 respondents were selected using proportional random sampling. Data were obtained through a closed‑ended five‑point Likert‑scale questionnaire administered via Google Forms and analyzed using descriptive statistics, classical assumption tests, and path analysis in SPSS version 26. Soft skills training (β = 0.466, p < 0.001) and academic learning (β = 0.296, p = 0.003) were positively associated with communication skills development. In the self‑confidence model, academic learning (β = 0.352, p < 0.001) and communication skills development (β = 0.312, p = 0.002) showed significant positive associations, whereas the direct association with soft skills training was not statistically significant (β = 0.179, p = 0.084). The models accounted for 48.5% of the variance in communication skills development and 54.2% in self‑confidence. These findings suggest the value of integrating structured soft skills training and academic learning in student development programs while distinguishing their relationships with communication skills and self‑confidence